Delhi gangrape verdict: Court has set new example for criminals,says Shinde

“The ‘nyay devta’ has set a new example for such culprits that if you commit such a heinous crime,then you will get a stringent punishment,” the minister said.

Shinde was speaking after the four convicts – Akshay Thakur,Vinay Sharma,Mukesh Singh and Pawan Gupta – in the December 16,2012 gangrape and murder of a 23-year-old physiotherapy student inside a private bus in Delhi were sentenced to death by the Saket fast track trial court.

“There was an atmosphere in the country after this incident..We expected such a punishment,” he said.

Referring to Defence Counsel A P Singh’s claim that the verdict was delivered under political pressure,Shinde said,”The judiciary follows the law and not political pressure.

Shinde referred to the new legislation based on the Justice Verma Committee report which recommended amendments to the criminal law so as to provide for quicker trial and enhanced punishment for criminals accused of committing sexual assault against women. The panel headed by former Chief Justice of India J S Verma was formed in the wake of the shocking Delhi gangrape incident.

“The new law has provision for hanging in rarest of rare cases,” he said.

“We took note of lacunae in police.. We have made provision for appointing a woman police officer in each police station to enable women victims to lodge FIR,” Shinde said.

“Women feel confident to register the complaint when there is a woman officer,” he said.

On last month’s Shakti Mills gang rape case in Mumbai,the minister said,”I am quite confident that the state government will also expedite the case. (But) There is no need to pressurise any state government.”