Mumbai photojournalist's gang-rape: Three witnesses depose before court

On the first day of the trial in the gangrape of a 23-year-old photojournalist at Shakti Mills in central Mumbai in August this year, three witnesses deposed before a sessions court in Mumbai on Monday.

"Two Panch witnesses, who were present during the crime site inspection and seizure of certain articles like mobile phone, beer bottles etc from the place and also the artist who prepared the sketches of the crime scene at the Shakti Mill, deposed before the court today," Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said.

The witnesses have supported the prosecution's case, Nikam said.

The accused - Vijay Jadhav, Kasim Bengali, Salim Ansari and Siraj Rehman - have been charged of rape, conspiracy, common intention and also booked under charges under the Information Technology Act.

On September 19, the crime branch had filed 600 pages chargesheet against the four accused in the Shakti Mill gang rape case.

The young photojournalist was gangraped by five accused, including a juvenile, whose trial is separated, when she had gone to the deserted Shakti Mills compound on August 22 with a male colleague on assignment. The accused had tied up the victim's male companion with belts and raped her.

An 18-year-old telephone operator was allegedly gangraped on July 31 by five men, three of whom were also involved in the photojournalist gangrape case, police said.