Shakti Mills gangrape cases: Court convicts all accused

PTI Updated - March 20, 2014 at 12:40 PM.

The Shakti Mills compound in Mumbai. Photo: Shashi Ashiwal

All four accused in telephone operator gangrape case of July 31, 2013, at Shakti Mills have been convicted by sessions court.

The court has also convicted all four accused in Shakti Mill photojournalist gangrape case of August 22, 2013.

Arguments on sentencing are to be held Friday and the convicted men face a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

Arguments by Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam and defence lawyers concluded on March 15 before Principal Sessions Judge Shalini Joshi.

The first case pertains to the rape of a 18-year-old telephone operator in the deserted premises of Shakti Mills on July 31 last year. The case came to light after a 23-year-old photojournalist, interning with an English magazine here, was gangraped on August 22, 2013 on the same premises.

The accused in the telephone operator case are Ashfaq Sheikh, Kasim Hafiz Sheikh alias Kasim Bangali, Salim Ansari, Vijay Jadhav and a minor. The minor is being tried separately in a juvenile court while the others faced trial in the sessions court.

On October 8 last, police had filed a 362-page charge sheet against four accused in connection with the gangrape after the minor’s case was separated.

The photojournalist, was gangraped on August 22, by five persons, including a juvenile, when she had gone to the deserted Shakti mill along with her male colleague on an assignment.

Of the five accused, three also figure in the July 31 gang rape case. They are Vijay Jadhav, Kasim Bengali, Salim Ansari and Siraj Rehman.

The accused in the August 22 gangrape case of 2013 have been charged with various offences under IPC such as rape, conspiracy, common intention, unnatural sex and charges under Information Technology Act, whereas the juvenile is being tried separately.

In this case, the police had filed a 600-page charge sheet against the accused on September 19 last year.

The incidents had sparked outrage with people demanding police protection to women and a strong vigil in public places and secluded areas.

Published on March 20, 2014 06:14