Premium
This is an archive article published on March 2, 2023

Main accused convicted and three others acquitted in Hathras gangrape and murder case

Advocate Seema Kushwaha, who appeared for the 19-year-old Dalit woman’s family, says they ‘will try’ to appeal the judgment before the high court.

On September 14, 2020, the 19-year-old was allegedly gangraped and assaulted by four men who left her bleeding in the field. (Express)On September 14, 2020, the 19-year-old was allegedly gangraped and assaulted by four men who left her bleeding in the field. (Express)
Listen to this article
Main accused convicted and three others acquitted in Hathras gangrape and murder case
x
00:00
1x 1.5x 1.8x

A special court in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district on Thursday convicted the main accused and acquitted three others of all charges in the 2020 rape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit woman.

“Sandeep Singh was convicted under (Indian Penal Code) section 304 and sections of the SC/ST Act. The other accused were acquitted in this case. Their arguments on sentence will take place shortly,” Munna Singh, the lawyer for Sandeep and the other accused—Ravi, Luv Kush and Ramu—told The Indian Express.

Advocate Seema Kushwaha, who appeared for the victim’s family, said, “We will try to appeal this judgment before the high court.”

After details of the verdict came out, Sandeep’s family members broke down outside the courtroom. Rajender Singh, Sandeep’s uncle, said, “I welcome this judgment but why was Sandeep the only one who was convicted? This whole trial was marred by politicians and media persons.”

Luv Kush’s mother Munni said, “I welcome the judgment. I had full faith in the judiciary. I just want my son to return. I am concerned about his future now.”

On September 14, 2020, the 19-year-old woman was allegedly gang-raped and assaulted by four upper-caste men, who left her bleeding in a field in Hathras. She was found by her family and taken to a hospital in Aligarh and then to Delhi. Eleven days later, she died in Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital.

The body was taken out in an ambulance late in the evening, driven to her village and allegedly cremated at 3.30am forcibly by UP police and other officials.

Story continues below this ad

The chargesheet relied on the analysis of call detail records to state that “the relationship/affair between the victim and accused Sandeep was in good form till March 2020”.

As per the CBI case, the Dalit woman was raped by four men after she rebuffed one of them, Sandeep, and this “change in their relationship” had “aggravated his feelings” and “frustrated him”.

The CBI stated that the relationship soured further when their family members found out about them and that after March 20, Sandeep tried to contact the woman from various phone numbers of his friends and relatives.

According to the CBI, Sandeep also suspected that she was having “an affair” with someone else.

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Advertisement
Loading Recommendations...
Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments