Four get 25-year jail

Our Legal Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 21

The court of Additional Sessions Judge Virinder Aggarwal has convicted four persons of gang-rape of a 14-year-old girl. They were sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 25 years each.

Those convicted are Pawan Kumar (26) and Balkar Singh (31), both from New Deep Nagar; and Charanjit Singh and Yogesh Kumar, of Haibowal Kalan, Ludhiana. A fine of Rs 1 lakh each was also imposed upon the convicts. It would be paid to the victim as compensation, if recovered.

Besides, the court has directed the District Legal Services Authority to provide compensation to the victim.

Pronouncing the verdict, the court held that such convicts were not entitled to any leniency. Two accused, Rahul Kumar and Kali, were acquitted as the court found no evidence against them.

A case against them was registered at the PAU police station on March 7, 2015, following a statement of the victim’s father.

The complainant had told the police that his daughter had gone to a shop in Rishi Nagar to buy curd, but she was kidnapped by the accused, who took her to a deserted house and raped her.