AIZAWL: A court here sentenced two BSF personnel on Tuesday to a total 42 years' rigorous imprisonment (20 years, 10 years and 12 years each under different charges) and fined them Rs 60,000 each for gang-raping a woman and throwing acid on her face in 2017. The sentences are to run concurrently, which means they will spend 20 years in prison minus the period of detention already undergone during investigation and trial.
Court Verdict and Charges
Aizawl additional district and sessions judge Sylvie Z Ralte convicted Nilanjan Das and Dinesh Kumar under IPC Sections 376D, 376 (2)(m) and 326A read with Sec 34.
"For the offence under IPC Sec 376D (gang rape), the accused are sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of 20 years and to pay a fine of Rs 20,000 each. In default of payment of fine, they shall undergo further simple imprisonment for two months," judge Ralte said.
The accused were sentenced to another 10 years and fined Rs 20,000 each for rape causing serious bodily harm under IPC Sec 376(2)(m).
On the acid attack charge (IPC Sec 326A), the judge ruled: "The accused persons are sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 12 years and to pay a fine of Rs 20,000 each."
Compensation and Concurrent Sentences
The fine amount, if realised, is to be paid to the victim for medical treatment and rehabilitation. The court directed that the substantive sentences would run concurrently.
