MANGALDAI: In a prompt and landmark judgment, the Special Judge at Udalguri today awarded life term rigorous imprisonment to five notorious criminals for their involvement in a brutal crime of gang rape of a 17-year-old minor girl. The convicted criminals are Abhijul Ali, Mostak Ahmed, Mahidul Islam, Ahsan Ahmed, and Saddam Hussain, all of village No. 1 Naharbari under Mazbat Police Station in Udalguri district.
According to the case, on June 22 of 2024 at about 6 pm, the convicted criminals had intercepted the class IX student while she was returning from her tuition and all the five criminals forcefully outraged her modesty at Mazbat Tea Garden. On the basis of the FIR lodged by the uncle of the victim on the next morning, i.e. June 23, the Mazbat Police registered a case vide no. 30/2024 under section 365/376 D/ 323/506 of Indian Penal Code read with section 6 of POCSO Act and promptly arrested all the five accused criminals.
Significantly, the police very promptly filed the chargesheet before the court within 80 days. The Special Judge has also passed the judgment awarding them life term rigorous imprisonment within seven months.
In the judgment, rigorous imprisonment for five years and a fine of Rs 20,000 each has been awarded in connection with the offence committed under section 365 of Indian Penal Code, six months rigorous imprisonment for six months in connection with the offence committed under section 323 of Indian Penal Code and rigorous imprisonment for a year in connection with the offence committed under section 506 of Indian Penal Code. The Special Judge in his landmark judgment awarded life term imprisonment with a fine of Rs 20,000 to each for the crime committed in connection with Section 6 of POCSO Act. The court has also directed the District Legal Service Authority of Udalguri to pay an amount of Rs 5,00,000 to the victim as compensation.
