New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday frees three convicts in the 2012 chhawla rape case who were sentenced to death penalty by the Delhi High Court.
The prosecution “failed to prove their case” against the men, the Supreme Court gave the judgment based on “the benefit of the doubt”.
A 19 year- old girl, Kiran Negi had succumbed to her injuries after she was brutally gang raped, tortured and murdered. Three accused Rahul, Ravi and Vinod had abducted the girl on February 9, 2012.
As they found the girl with her three friends. Kiran Negi friends managed to escape from the incident as they were harassing them. But Kiran was kidnapped by the harassers.
Two trial courts have already found the accused guilty in the case, who have now been acquitted by the Supreme Court.
Chhawla case: Supreme Court Order frees convicts
After the Supreme Court verdict, the parents of the girl said they were “broken” by the judgement. But they would continue their legal fight.
वीडियो में किरण की माँ का दर्द सुन सकते है
सारी मुश्किलें झेल लीं,ये अन्याय नहीं झेला जा रहा
हमें उम्मीद थी न्याय मिलेगा,लेकिन इस फैसले ने हमें तोड़ दिया,हमारे सोचने की ताकत खत्म हो गई है
अब समझ नहीं आ रहा है कि बेटी को इंसाफ दिलाने के लिए अब कहां जाए
— Yogita Bhayana योगिता भयाना (@yogitabhayana) November 7, 2022
The incident had taken place months before the Nirbhaya Rape case by five men on a moving bus in Delhi. Which triggered nationwide protest and sweeping changes to the laws on sexual crimes. But failed to gain media coverage.
Negi was pursuing graduation at that time and also working as a data entry operator to support her family. She belonged to a poor family and her earnings were important for her young siblings to get education.
In February 2014, the Delhi High Court convicted all the accused of chhawla rape case awarded them the death penalty. Delhi High Court upheld the capital punishment in August 2014 while stating that they were predators moving on the streets and were looking for prey.
They challenged the Delhi court ruling in Supreme Court seeking directions to reduce their sentence. The counsel appearing for the convicts cited their age, family background and past criminal record to get relief.
Following the Supreme Court verdict, the parents of the girl said they were “broken” by the judgement but asserted that they would continue their legal fight. We came here for justice. This is a blind justice system.
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