Bengal court awards death penalty in minor rape-murder case

NEW DELHI: The Siliguri court on Saturday sentenced MD Abbas to death in a case involving the rape and murder of a minor.

According to reports, Abbas was apprehended by the Special Operations Group (SOG) and officers from the Matigara Police Station, part of the Siliguri Metropolitan Police, at Lenin Colony in Siliguri. He was arrested on the night of the crime, and the case has been under trial since January.

However, the judge convicted him on Wednesday, with additional sentences including seven years in prison and Rs 10 lakh compensation to the victim's family.

Special Public Prosecutor Bivas Chatterjee said, “On the last occasion, we pleaded for the death sentence because three sections, among others, carry the maximum punishment. I had a one-and-a-half-hour hearing to present this case as one of the rarest of the rare. The death sentence was awarded under two consecutive sections: Section 302 for murder and Section 6 of the Pocso act. Additionally, Abbas has been sentenced to seven years in prison for other charges and ordered to pay Rs 10 lakh in compensation to the victim's family.”

Meanwhile AITC in a X post said, "In a landmark judgment, the perpetrator of the heinous rape & murder of a minor girl from Matigara, Siliguri, has been sentenced to death. This swift conviction is a testament to the efforts of WB police, who ensured justice was served within a year. With the implementation of Aparajita Anti-Rape Bill, such exemplary punishments will become the standard, instilling fear in the hearts of predators & ensuring such barbaric acts are prevented!"