Bengaluru: Last accused gets life imprisonment in NLSIU student gangrape case
Bengaluru: An accused in the infamous National Law School of India University (NLSIU) student gangrape case, which was reported on the Jnanabharathi campus in October 2012, was awarded life imprisonment by the 55th City Civil and Sessions Court on Monday.
Raja alias Muthuraj, 27, who hails from Mettari Doddi village in Kailancha Hobli of Ramanagar district, is the convict. He was accused number three in the case. Eight people, including a juvenile, were involved in the case. Six were convicted of life imprisonment in September 2013, while the juvenile in conflict with law was remanded in the State Boys’ Home for three years.
Raja, who was 23 years old at the time of offence, had managed to evade arrest for ten months. Just a week after the incident, Raja and another convict, Rama, had attacked the policemen who tried to arrest the duo at Jnanabharathi campus. The police had shot at Rama and nabbed him, while Raja had managed to escape. A week after the court convicted six in the case, Rama, who was absconding in Goa and Tamil Nadu, returned to visit his wife in Kebbedoddi village in Anekal taluk, thinking that the case was over. But the police who were constantly gathering information nabbed him.
The police had filed an additional chargesheet against Raja and he was booked under sections 376 (rape), 376(2)(g) (gang rape), 366 (kidnap), 397 (robbery or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of Rs 50), 323 (assault), 324 (causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 506(b) of the IPC.
The Judge, Rajeshwari N. Hegde, who found the accused guilty on all charges, awarded him life imprisonment. Public Prosecutor S.M. Hiremani argued on behalf of the government, while Balaraju, the then inspector of Jnanabharathi police station and now an DySP in the Anti Corruption Bureau, had filed the chargesheet.
The other convicts
Maddura, Dodda Eeraiah, Shivanna, Eeraiah alias Eera, Yaliyaiah alias Kumara and Rama are the other six convicts. All the accused, except Dodda Eeraiah, hailed from Metari Doddi village of Kailancha hobli in Ramanagar district. Dodda Eeraiah is from Hunsur in Mysuru district. This was one of the fastest trials in the state as it was completed in 70 days.
Victim returned home after rape
After the incident, the victim, who is 25 years now, returned to her hometown. She continued her studies in London. In December 2016, a five-day continuous trial was held without causing inconvenience to the survivor, as she had to return to London. She had deposed before the judge and had given an in-detail account of the incident, which was also established through the evidence provided by the police and worked against the accused.
Sandalwood smugglers turned rapists
The 21-year-old student of NLSIU, who was sitting with her male friend inside a car at an isolated place at Jnanabharathi campus on October 13, 2013 night, was attacked by the gang and was raped. The gang of eight sandalwood smugglers, who had come to cut trees, noticed the couple, vandalised their car and assaulted her friend. Later, they dragged her about 2-3 kilometre deep inside the woods and gangraped her.
All the accused were involved in down cutting sandalwood trees in Jnanabharathi campus and smuggled them. Besides, they attacked also repeatedly attacked couples who came to the woods seeking privacy.
