HC upholds conviction of cabbies who raped,murdered BPO staffer

They,however,said that they would hear the prosecution and defence to consider the mitigating circumstances in favour of the accused before handing out the sentence.

The accused had picked up the employee of Wipro from her home in Pashan around 10.15 pm on November 1,2007,in a car sent through a logistics company engaged by her employer. She was on her way to the office on the night shift from 11 pm to 9 am. However,the accused allegedly abducted her and took her to Guhane village near Maval where they raped her and strangulated her with her dupatta. They also smashed her head with a stone and slashed her wrist with a blade.

Seeking the harshest punishment for the accused,prosecution lawyers Revati Dere and Prajakta Shinde had argued that the crime was premeditated,that they were aware that it was the victim’s last day at work,and that they had gangraped and murdered the victim.

They pointed out that after committing the murder — that sent shock waves across Pune and the growing IT sector that employed several women — the duo proceeded to pick up another employee working in the victim’s office and said that they were delayed because of a flat tyre. “Even their subsequent conduct did not show remorse or repentance,” Dere had argued.

However,urging the court to commute the death penalty,defence lawyer Rahul Kate said the accused were young and supported their families financially. He added that they had no criminal antecedents and could be reformed.