In the 2020, Hathras Gangrape and murder case of a 19-year-old Dalit woman, a special court in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district on Thursday found the primary defendant guilty while clearing three other defendants of all charges.
Sandeep Singh was found guilty in accordance with clauses of the SC/ST Act and (Indian Criminal Code) section 304. In this case, the other accused party was exonerated. Munna Singh, the attorney representing Sandeep and the other defendants—Ravi, Luv Kush, and Ramu—told The Indian Express that their arguments against the sentencing would soon take place.
The victim’s family’s attorney, Seema Kushwaha, declared. “We will try to appeal this judgement before the supreme court.”
Sandeep’s family members sobbed outside the courthouse as word of the verdict spread. Uncle of Sandeep Rajender Singh asked, “I welcome this ruling, but why was Sandeep the only one found guilty? Politicians and media figures tainted the entire trial.
Munni, Luv Kush’s mother, stated, “I welcome the verdict. I really trusted the judicial system. I simply need my son to come home. His future worries me right now. The 19-year-old woman was allegedly gang-raped and abused by four males of an upper caste on September 14, 2020, and they left her bleeding in a field in Hathras. She was located by her family, who took her to an Aligarh hospital before transporting her to Delhi. She passed away in Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi eleven days later. Late at night, the body was brought out in an ambulance, taken to her village, and allegedly forcibly cremated around 3.30 am by UP police and other officials. The chargesheet stated that “the relationship/affair between the victim and accused Sandeep was in good form till March 2020” based on a study of call detail records.
According to the CBI investigation, the victim belonged to the Dalit caste and was gangraped by four men after she rejected one of them, namely Sandeep. This “change in their connection” had “aggravated his feelings” and “frustrated him”. According to the CBI report.
Furthermore, according to the CBI, the couple’s connection progressively deteriorated once their families learned about them. After March 20, Sandeep made several calls to the woman from different friends’ and family members’ phones. The CBI claims that Sandeep also believed she was having “an affair” with someone else.