In a major development in the sensational Hanskhali gang-rape and murder case in Nadia district involving a minor girl, a court in West Bengal’s Nadia district on Tuesday sentenced three convicts, including the son of a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, to life imprisonment. TMC leader Samarendra Goyali was awarded a five-year prison term. The sentences were pronounced by the Ranaghat Sub-Divisional Court a day after nine accused were convicted on Monday.
The principal accused — Braj Goyali, Ranjit Mallick, and Prabhakar Poddar — were sentenced to life imprisonment under Section 376(DA) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for gang-rape. The court also sentenced them to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, seven years under Section 506 (criminal intimidation), and three years under Section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence). Fines were additionally imposed under several other sections.
Among the remaining convicts, Samarendra Goyali, Dipto Goyali, and Piyush Bhakta were sentenced to five years’ imprisonment under Section 506 and three years under Section 201 of the IPC. Two accused, Surajit Roy and Akash Barui, were released on probation owing to their young age after furnishing personal bail bonds of ₹50,000 each for one year. The court stated that if their conduct during this period is satisfactory, they will be released permanently; otherwise, the order may be reviewed. Another accused, Anshuman Bagchi, was sentenced to three years under Section 201 and three years under Section 102(B) of the IPC.
Reacting to the verdict, defence counsel Raja Bandyopadhyay alleged lapses in the investigation. He claimed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had not conducted a proper probe and that the case relied heavily on the testimonies of 28 witnesses. He said the accused had not received justice and announced plans to move the Calcutta High Court challenging the verdict.
The case dates back to April 4, 2022, when a 14-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped and murdered in the Hanskhali police station. According to the victim’s family, the minor was called to the residence of a TMC Gram Panchayat member for a birthday party, where she was allegedly given alcohol and gang-raped. She later died due to excessive bleeding. The family further alleged that the girl’s body was hastily cremated at a village crematorium without obtaining a doctor’s certificate.
Four days after the incident, the victim’s mother lodged a written complaint at the police station, naming several accused, including Braj, the son of Samarendra, a TMC member of the Hanskhali Gram Panchayat.
The investigation was initially carried out by the state police but was transferred to the CBI on April 14 following an order of the Calcutta High Court. The CBI filed a 209-page charge sheet within 85 days.
After a prolonged investigation and trial spanning three years, eight months and nine days, the Ranaghat Sub-Divisional Court convicted nine accused on December 22. The court pronounced the sentences on Tuesday.
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