CTV footage aired by Zee News on May 1 showed that Vishal Jangrota was instead in an ATM of the Corporation Bank of Meerapura of Muzaffarnagar on January 15. The timestamp showed it was 3:47 PM
In a much-awaited judgement, a Pathankot session court sentenced six people and acquitted one in the Kathua gang-rape case that had shaken the core of the nation.
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While three of the main accused were given life imprisonment, three cops accused of destruction of evidence were given five years in jail.
Sanji Ram’s son Vishal was acquitted, and court accepted his alibi that he was in Muzaffarnagar on January 15.
District and Session Courts Judge Dr Tejbinder Singh appreciated Zee News’ genuine effort to provide evidence and appreciated Zee News’ efforts.
CCTV footage – first shown on Zee News – showed Vishal was in Muzaffarnagar on January 15.Sanji Ram's son Vishal alibi that he was taking an exam on the date of the incident was accepted by the court.
The charge-sheet had claimed that Vishal was in Kathua from January 12 to January 15, but videos showed that that he was instead in Muzaffarnagar. CCTV footage aired by Zee News on May 1 showed that Vishal Jangrota was instead in an ATM of the Corporation Bank of Meerapura of Muzaffarnagar on January 15. The timestamp showed it was 3:47 PM
Vishal's mother also thanked Zee News for accessing the ATM footage from Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh. "I would like to thank Zee News for accessing the ATM footage. We are grateful. We have always said my son is innocent. My husband too is innocent and it would be proven," said Vishal's mother.
Prosecution had sought capital punishment
The prosecution had sought capital punishment for them.
The three have been sentenced to life imprisonment and fined Rs one lakh each after being convicted for criminal conspiracy and murder, the prosecution lawyer said.
Life imprisonment will mean they will be in jail till the end of their natural life, he said.
They have also been handed over different jail terms for various offences under the RPC which will run concurrently with life term, he said.
Each of their three accomplices -- Sub Inspector Anand Dutta, Head Constable Tilak Raj and special police officer Surender Verma -- have been convicted for destruction of evidence to cover up and handed down five years in jail and Rs 50,000 fine each, he said.
If they do not deposit the fine, they will have to serve additional six months in jail, he said.
Court announced verdict away from gaze of media
The court pronounced the much-awaited verdict away from the gaze of media which gathered outside the premises.
The prosecution team, comprising lawyers J K Chopra, S S Basra, Harminder Singh and Bhupinder Singh, said it demanded capital punishment for the main accused and may go in for appeal against the sole acquittal.
"We have sought capital punishment against all three accused convicted of murder and gang rape. It was hard work of all of us and a perfect blend of investigation and legal brains. We have achieve 99 per cent result," the statement said.
The crime branch of J&K Police had filed the chargesheet against eight persons, including a juvenile.
The trial against the juvenile is yet to begin as his petition on determining his age is to be heard by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.
According to the 15-page chargesheet filed in April last year, the girl was kidnapped on January 10 that year and was raped in captivity in a small village temple, exclusively manned by Ram, after having been kept sedated for four days. She was later bludgeoned to death.