Two juveniles convicted in Shakti Mills gangrapes

The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) Tuesday held two minors facing trial in two separate cases of gangrape that took place in the Shakti Mills compound last year, guilty of committing the offences.

While one of the juvenile accused was tried for raping a former telephone operator on July 31, 2013, the other was tried for the gangrape of a photojournalist on August 22, 2013.

“At about 1:45 pm, the court called both the accused. Their parents were also present. The court then pronounced them guilty. All charges against them have been proved and they have been sentenced to three years in a correctional facility,” said special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam.

Three years is the maximum sentence that can be awarded to an accused facing trial in under the Juvenile Justice Act. This three year period will not include the time spent by the juveniles in the children’s home earlier.

“There can be no appeal against the sentence,” said Nikam.

Nikam added that the JJB has ordered the two juvenile accused, who were both 17-and-a-half at the time of committing the offence, to be sent to the borstal school in Nashik.

” Every month a report is called from a probation officer and based on the report, the accused are sent to correction home. This is a correction home where they will also be provided education. They will have to stay there for three years until their sentence is completed,” said Nikam.