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Months after a 17 year-old-girl was gang-raped in a moving car in Surat, a district court today sentenced three youths, including two who are sons of policemen, to life imprisonment in the case that sent shock waves across the country.
District Judge R P Dholariya awarded the sentence to Sahid Sayyed, Tariq Sayyed, both sons of policemen, and their friend Abu Bakar for the crime that took place on June 12 last year.
The trio has been fined Rs 1 lakh each and the court said Rs 2 lakh from the fine amount be given to the victim.
Public prosecutor in the case Nayan Sukhadwala said the judgement was based on the statements of the duo. The incident had triggered protests and bandhs in the district.
City Commissioner of Police Deepak Swaroop was also transferred in wake of the incident. The three youth, who were in the car, stopped the girl studying in Class XII and her friend who were going to attend tuitions.
The trio, posing as police officers, forced the duo inside the car. They were then taken to a secluded spot where the boy was tied up inside the car by the accused. The girl was then raped in turns by the accused inside the moving car.
The youth also prepared a clip on their mobile phone and threatened the girl and her friend against filing a complaint, failing which they would circulate the MMS.
The ordeal continued for more than two hours after which the two students were left at the same spot from where they were abducted.
Two of the accused in the case Sahid Sayyed and Tariq Sayyed are cousins. While Sahid is son of circle police inspector of Dholka town of Ahmedabad district, Tariq is son of a police constable who is serving with the Surat city police.
Angered by the incident, people thrashed the trio while they were being bought to the city civil hospital for medical check up on the next day of the incident.
The citizens and some local organisations had also given a bandh call in the entire state.
Gujarat Minister of State for Home Amit Shah transferred then city Police Commissioner Deepak Swaroop, whose controversial comments on the case had created an uproar.
He had reportedly told mediapersons that the victim was caught in a compromising position with her male classmate by the accused who took advantage of the situation.
Following the incident, a team from the National Women's Commission had also met the victim and assured her justice.