Delhi HC awards life term to prime convict in Maulana Azad Medical College student rape case

The Delhi high court today sentenced the prime convict in the 2002 Maulana Azad Medical College student rape case to life imprisonment.

Observing that the accused, Rahul, had acted "not only as a beast but even acted savage," a bench headed by justice Pradeep Nandrajog upheld the trial court verdict which had sentenced him to life imprisonment.

The court, however, acquitted the other convict Amit on charges of rape and directed the police to release him as he had already undergone seven years of imprisonment. The convicts -- Rahul and his accomplice Amit -- were held guilty of raping a medical student by a trial court in January 2005.

The victim, a fourth-year student of the Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), was raped at knife point on the terrace of the Mughal monument 'Khooni Darwaza' in central Delhi on November 15, 2002.

The trial court had awarded Rahul and Amit life imprisonment and acquitted two other accused, Ashok, of the charge of harbouring the accused, and Mohan Lal, of the charge of dishonestly receiving stolen property from the accused.

The Delhi police had in 2003 filed a charge sheet against four persons -- Rahul, Amit, Mohan Lal and Ashok -- in the case which had hogged headlines.