The five men convicted by a Mumbai sessions court on Thursday in two different Shakti Mill gangrape cases of 2013, and some of their relatives present in court, were expressionless during the court proceedings as the arguments and the judgment were in English and they could not understand what was happening till their lawyers explained matters.
However, even after learning their fate, they did not react. Some of the accused and their relatives, however, cried outside court while speaking to each other.
Maharashtra home minister R.R. Patil was also present in court to hear the verdict. He reached court at about 10.52 am and sat in the front row, getting up only after court was adjourned after the judgment.
Speaking to mediapersons, he welcomed the decision and said, “I hope this verdict acts as a deterrent.” He said the trial was conducted in the fastest possible time so that the culprits are taught a lesson and the victims get justice.
The accused are convicted of gangrape, conspiracy, common intention, unnatural sex, criminal intimidation, wrongful restraint and confinement, assault, destruction of evidence and offences under the Information Technology Act.
Before pronouncement of judgment, the judge turned down the defence application to call again a chemical analyser as a witness for further recording of evidence. The prosecution took strong objection to this application and said it was a delaying tactic.
Speaking to this newspaper after the conviction order came out, ATS chief Himanshu Roy, who spearheaded the investigation as the then crime branch chief, said his team gained professional satisfaction and their efforts to make women feel secure and safe in the city would continue. “A lot of effort was made to ensure speedy justice — various teams were formed specifically for collecting scientific evidence, collection of technical evidence, documentary evidence and identification parade. The chargesheet was filed in record time and we shall try to secure the maximum punishment under law,” Mr Roy added.