Shakti mills gang-rape: Convicts show no remorse, appear relaxed

Mumbai: While a sessions court here awarded the death penalty to three repeat offenders in the both Shakti Mills gangrape cases, the convicts did not show any remorse throughout the day and appeared to be normal and relaxed.

Three convicts- Mohammad Qasim Shaikh (20), Salim Ansari (28), and Vijay Jadhav (18) were awarded death penalty for being repeat offenders under section 376 E of the Indian Penal Code. This is the first court to convict and sentence the three men since the new Criminal Law (Amendment) Act in 2013 came into effect following the brutal Delhi gangrape.

However, the family members of the convicts were shocked after hearing the verdict and broke down in the courtroom. “You are responsible for my son going astray,” said Chand Bibi, mother of convict Qasim Shaikh after slapping the another convict Salim Ansari.

She also used the abusive language against the public prosecutor, after hearing the verdict, alleging that he had falsely implicated her son in the case.

The convicts appeared relaxed and, at some point, smiling in the court room. After the verdict, one the accused was seen telling his mother that not to worry and that they would appraoch the High Court to challenge the verdict.

The court took into consideration the arguments made by Special Public Prosecuter Ujjwal Nikam before pronouncing the verdict. Nikam contended that the circumstances under which the crime had been committed demanded maximum punishment for the accused.

The photo journalist was gang-raped by five men including a minor. Siraj Rehman, fourth convict in the case was awarded life sentence until the remainder of his life, the trial of the minor before Juvenile Justice Board is yet to begin.