Court sentences nine in Nari Niketan rape case

Dehradun: A Dehradun court has sentenced the main accused in the rape and abortion case of a hearing and speech impaired inmate at a government-run shelter home here in 2015 to seven years in prison.

The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Dharam Singh on Monday also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Gurudas – the main convict in the case who worked as a sweeper at the Nari Niketan.

His jail term will be increased by 30 days in case he does not pay the fine, the ADSJ said while pronouncing the judgement.

Eight other convicts in the case including the then superintendent of the shelter home Meenakshi Pokhriyal were awarded jail sentences ranging between two and five years.

The case pertains to the rape and subsequent abortion of an inmate suffering from hearing and speech impairment at the Nari Niketan in 2015.

The victim was made to undergo an abortion after rape and the foetus buried within the premises of the shelter home.

The court had convicted nine persons in the case on Friday and pronounced the quantum of punishment on Monday.

Homeguard Lalit Bisht and caretaker Mohammad Hashim, who had been found guilty of sexually assaulting the victim, were sentenced to five years in jail besides a penalty of Rs 10,000 each.

Nari Niketan staff Chandrakala Chhetri, Kiran Nautiyal, Anita Mandola and Shama Nigar were awarded jail terms of four years each.

The former superintendent of the shelter home Pokhriyaland a teacher Krishna Kant were given two year jail sentences besides a fine of Rs 5000 each.