Court gave verdict in the rape and abortion case of a hearing and speech impaired inmate in 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 in Dehradun. The accused has been sentenced to seven years in prison over the crimes he committed in 2015.

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 Additional District and Sessions Judge said while pronouncing the judgement.

Eight other convicts in the case including the then superintendent of the shelter home Meenakshi Pokhriyal were given 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 survivor 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 survivor, 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 given jail terms of four years each.

Former superintendent of the shelter home Pokhriyal and a teacher Krishna Kant were given two year jail sentences besides a fine of Rs 5000 each.

