2005 Ashiana gangrape: 10 years later, main accused faces trial

The sessions court put an end to these litigations in March this year when it declared Gaurav as “major”, and the Allahabad High Court followed it up by ordering on November 16 the completion of the trial of the main accused “within three months”.

Despite the several petitions in the court, the police had chargesheeted Gaurav and five others. Three of them were convicted and awarded imprisonment — Aman Bakshi and Bhartendu Mishra in 2007 got 10 years’ imprisonment and Faizan was convicted in 2013 and awarded life term. Two others – Saurabh Jain and Asif Siddiqui – had died in a road accident.

The victim girl’s lawyer, Jalaj Gupta, said, “Her statement was recorded before the court of Additional District Judge Anil Kumar Shukla today. Thereafter, Gaurav Shukla’s counsel began cross-examination of the girl which would be continued during the next hearing fixed for December 3.”

Gaurav was present in the court. The girl had reached the court with her parents who were accompanied by members of India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), which is the fighting the case for her.

The gangrape in 2005 took place after four youths forcibly dragged the 13-year-old girl in their car while she was on her way home in Ashiana colony. The accused had gangraped her in the moving car, and even burned her with cigarette butts. The victim was later taken to a farmhouse in Aliganj area where two others also joined the four. Together they had gangraped the girl again at the farmhouse.

The accused had later dumped the injured victim near Cantonment area late in the night. A passerby helped her reach home. Her parents had got an FIR registered and the accused were identified during the investigation.