Uttar Pradesh, India

Nearly a year after the horrific incident involving the gang rape and murder of two minor Dalit sisters, a significant development has happened in the case.

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A POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) court has delivered verdicts and sentences against the perpetrators, with two individuals receiving life imprisonment and two others being sentenced to six years in jail.

The heinous crime had shocked the nation, prompting an intensive investigation that led to these recent legal outcomes.

Verdicts and sentences

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After a thorough trial led by Additional District Judge (ADJ) Rahul Singh, four individuals were found guilty on multiple charges in relation to the gruesome killing of the two sisters, as reported by NDTV.

The victims' lifeless bodies were discovered hanging from a tree in a sugarcane field near a village in Nighasan.

The court identified Junaid and Sunil alias Chhotu as the main culprits, pronouncing them guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including kidnapping (section 363), gang-rape of a minor (section 376D A), murder (section 302), and causing hurt (section 323), among others. Furthermore, relevant sections of the POCSO Act were applied to their convictions.

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Sunil and Zunaid, deemed responsible for the most severe offences, were each sentenced to life imprisonment.

Additionally, they were ordered to pay fines amounting to ₹46,000 each ($553).  Meanwhile, the court handed down a six-year rigorous imprisonment to Karimuddin and Arif, along with fines of ₹5,000 each ($60.11), based on their conviction under section 201 of the IPC for causing the disappearance of evidence. This judicial decision reflects an attempt to dispense proportional justice considering the severity of their respective roles in the crime.

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Background and investigation

The incident occurred on September 14, 2022, when the two young Dalit sisters were abducted, subjected to harrowing gang rape, and subsequently murdered.

The crime sent shockwaves throughout the region and ignited outrage across the nation. Prompt action was taken, leading to the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) assigned to unravel the truth behind the gruesome act.

The SIT diligently pursued its investigation and apprehended a total of six suspects in connection with the crime. Notably, two of the accused were identified as minors, which added a complex dimension to the legal proceedings.

The SIT successfully concluded its investigation, resulting in the submission of a comprehensive charge sheet to the special POCSO court on September 28, 2022.

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Ongoing legal proceedings

While the recent verdicts have brought some closure to this distressing case, certain legal proceedings remain ongoing. The judgement for a minor accused, whose trial was also conducted within the POCSO court due to their age falling between 16 to 18 years, is anticipated to be delivered at a later date. Furthermore, the trial of a sixth teenager accused is currently in progress within the juvenile justice board, highlighting the intricate and multifaceted nature of the legal proceedings pertaining to this deeply unsettling crime.

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