Rewari gangrape: 3 pronounced guilty, 5 let off; sentence today

Tribune News Service

Mahendragarh, October 28

A Narnaul court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Mona Singh today held three main accused, Nishu Phogat, Pankaj Fouzi and Manish, guilty of raping a 19-year-old college girl at a village under Kosli subdivision of Rewari three years ago. It acquitted five co-accused — Sanjeev, Deen Dayal, Abhishek, Manjeet and Naveen. The quantum of sentence will be pronounced tomorrow. The case hogged media attention as the victim was Rewari district’s CBSE topper in matriculation. The crime was committed on September 12, 2018, when the victim was going to Kanina town in Mahendragarh district to get coaching for a competitive examination. Nishu, Pankaj and Manish waylaid her and gave her water laced with a sedative. She reportedly fell unconscious and then the three took her to a tubewell room in a village field and raped her there.

The three dumped the victim in an unconscious state near a bus stop in Kanina. An SIT was formed to probe the incident, which arrested eight accused in the case. As many as 33 witnesses were examined during the trial.

Co-accused Sanjeev was a registered medical practitioner who was called by the three accused to the crime spot when the victim’s condition deteriorated after the gang-rape. He faced the charges of facilitating the accused and not informing the police about the crime. Abhishek and Manmeet were accused of providing shelter to Pankaj and Manish after the crime. Deen Dayal was the owner of the tubewell room, said Karan Singh Yadav, the victim’s advocate.

Victim was waylaid

• Victim was going for coaching when convicts Nishu, Pankaj and Manish waylaid her and committed the crime
• A SIT formed to probe the incident arrested 8 accused