In the 2015 case of rape and subsequent abortion of an inmate with hearing and speech impairment at Dehradun Nari Niketan, the court of additional district and session judge pronounced the quantum of punishment for the guilty on Monday. Additional district and sessions judge, Dharam Singh, had on Friday convicted nine people including the then superintendent of the shelter home.
As per information provided by public prosecutor Sanjiv Sisodia, main convict cleaner Gurdas was booked under the section 376 C of Indian Penal Code, caretaker Hafiz and home guard Lalit Bisht were booked under the sections 376 C and 511 of IPC, contractual employee Anita Maindola, Chandrakala Chhettri, craft teacher Shama Nigar and nurse Kiran Nautiyal were booked under the sections 313, 201 and 120 b of IPC and the then superintendent of Nari Niketan Meenakshi Pokhariyal and contractual employee Krishnakant alias Kancha were booked under the section 201 of IPC.
Prosecutor Sisodia further said, “On the Monday the court has pronounced quantum of punishment for all nine convicts. The main accused Gurdas was sentenced to seven years imprisonment and Rs 10,000 fine with one month additional term if he fails to pay the fine. Hafiz and Lalit Bisht were sentenced to five years imprisonment and Rs 10,000 fine, with one month sentence if they fail to pay the fine. Anita Maindola, Chandrakala Chhetri, Shama Nigar and Kiran Nautiyal were sentenced to four years imprisonment under the section 313, six months imprisonment under the sections of 120 b and two years imprisonment under the section 201 with one month sentence if they fail to pay the fine of Rs 10,000 fine. Meenakshi Pokhriyal and Krishnakant were sentenced to two years imprisonment and Rs 5,000 fine with 15 day sentence if they fail to pay the fine.”
He added, “The victim was made to undergo abortion after the rape and her foetus was buried inside the premised of Nari Niketan. This was done in an attempt to cover up the matter.”
Vivek Gupta, the advocate of accused Meenakshi Pokhriyal informed that she has been granted bail by the court. Similarly, according to sources Krishnkant has also been granted bail.
It is pertinent to mention here that all nine accused were convicted on August 30 including the then superintendent of Nari Niketan, Meenakshi Pokhriyal, who was found colluding to hide evidence of the crime.
