Robbery case: December 16 convicts get jail term

They raped and brutally assaulted a 23-year-old girl in the bus in South Delhi on December 16, 2012.

Observing that their acts had “taken away the confidence” of citizens in public transport, a city court on Wednesday sentenced the four convicts, facing death penalty in the December 16 gangrape and murder case, to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment in a separate case of kidnapping and dacoity.

Additional Sessions Judge Reetesh Singh awarded the jail term to Akshay Kumar Singh, Mukesh, Pawan Gupta and Vinay Sharma under various sections of the IPC, including sections 395 (dacoity) and 412 (dishonestly receiving stolen property knowing that it was obtained by dacoity). It also imposed a fine of Rs 1.01 lakh each on the four.

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“Any person who waits at a bus stop for transportation does so with the assurance that the buses plying on the road have complied with all statutory requirements and the persons manning them have been permitted by the appropriate government to ply buses on the road after their antecedents have been verified… It is with this assurance that any person boards a bus or any other mode of public transport,” said the judge.

“Even if a bus on the road is plying with all permits and statutory compliances, but that bus by chance happens to be empty, a person will think twice before entering it, lest he may suffer the same fate as Ram Adhar. This incident shakes the confidence of the public that buses plying on the road are a safe and secure mode of transport,” he added.

Adhar, a carpenter, was robbed of his mobile phone and money by the four after he boarded the bus which had the convicts as its crew.

They thrashed him, tore his clothes and threw him out of the running bus at the IIT flyover. Later, they raped and brutally assaulted a 23-year-old girl in the bus in South Delhi on December 16, 2012.

Kaunain Sheriff M

As City Editor ( Delhi) at the Indian Express, Kaunain Sheriff leads city reporting with a sharp focus on accountability journalism, data-driven stories, and ground-level impact. As the National Health Editor he leads the newsroom’s in-depth coverage of pressing health issues. He is the author of Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant, a definitive investigation into the accountability of one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical corporations. Areas of Expertise Investigative Reporting: Has deep expertise in investigative reporting spanning public health, regulatory affairs, drug safety, and the criminal justice system. His work sits at the intersection of governance, law, and accountability, with a particular focus on how regulatory failures, institutional lapses, and policy decisions affect citizens’ rights and safety. Data Journalism: Has extensively on big data–driven investigations, including analyses of flagship government schemes and large datasets on criminal trials, uncovering systemic gaps. Global Collaborations Kaunain is a key contributor to major international journalistic projects: The Implant Files: Collaborated with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) to expose global malpractices in the medical device industry. Chinese Big-Data Investigation: Uncovered how a foreign data firm monitored thousands of prominent Indian institutions and individuals in real-time. Awards & Recognition His commitment to "Journalism of Courage" has been recognized with the industry's highest honors: Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism SOPA Award (Society of Publishers in Asia) Red Ink Award (Mumbai Press Club) Indian Express Excellence Awards (Triple recipient for investigations into the NSA abuse in UP, Vyapam scam, and the anti-Sikh riots). Education: Studied Mechanical Engineering at Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Bangalore, before moving to Delhi to pursue his passion for journalism. His engineering training informs his analytical approach, enabling him to decode technical, legal, and data-heavy systems with precision. Social media LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kaunain-sheriff-3a00ab99 X ( fromerly Twitter): @kaunain_s ... Read More

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December 16 gangrape