Allow Cookies!
By using our website, you agree to the use of cookies
On Thursday, a bench of Supreme Court comprising of Justice L Nageswar Rao and Justice SA Bobde has asked the Punjab and Haryana High Court to decide the appeals of accused in the OP Jindal University gang rape case within five months.
The court was very clear about the two interim orders i.e. firstly, staying the high court’s order of suspension of sentence and secondly, protecting accused Vikas Garg from arrest will continue till the appeals are decided. The high court is requested to hear and decide the appeal not later than 5 months and Parties are directed to appear the court on March 6.
Last year in March, a trial court in Sonipat had held three students guilty for the offence and awarded 20 year imprisonment to Hardik Sikri and Karan Chhabra respectively for gang rape and blackmailing the victim whereas Vikas Garg, was provided a 7 year jail term for rape and blackmailing the victim.
In September 2017, while hearing the appeals the High court has suspended their sentence. The sentences were suspended on the grounds that the woman was “promiscuous” and “casual sexual escapades” were common with her.
The High court’s September order has been suspended by the apex court. After Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing from side of victim; Senior Advocate Shanti Bhushan, appearing from side of Sikri; Huzefa Ahmadi for accused Chabbhra; and Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra for accused Garg have agreed to the proposition that the high court will be asked to decide the appeals in a fixed time, as per the Supreme Court order as passed on Thursday.
The victim has alleged that she was blackmailed by the accused as some of her nude photos were with the accused. On asking the accused for his icloud account password, the counsel appearing claimed and filed an affidavit by saying the accused doesn’t remember it now as he is not using his iphone from past two and half years.
The counsel for the accused persons have argued that there are continuous variations in girl statements and hence the same cannot be relied upon. The bench has declined to hear any of the submissions since it will not go into the merit of the case. The girl had lodged a complaint to the university administration on April 11. She has clearly alleged the trio, who are final year law students have been blackmailing and raping her since August 2013. The trio used to threaten her for making the photos go viral. She has alleged that she was forced to make a physical relationship with them.
86540
103860
630
114
59824