HC acquits capital punishment awardee

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Friday acquitted a capital punishment awardee and commuted the death sentence of two others to life imprisonment in the gangrape and murder of a 20-year-old woman at Kamduni in North 24-Parganas district ten years ago.

A local court had sentenced three convicts to the death penalty while three others got life imprisonment for the crime which took place on June 7, 2013, when the victim was returning from college after appearing for an examination.

In 2016, the sessions court awarded capital punishment to Amin Ali, Saiful Ali and Ansar Ali, while Imanul Islam, Aminul Islam and Bhola Naskar were sentenced to life imprisonment.

The matter was heard by Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Ajay Kumar Gupta. The Division Bench acquitted Amin Ali and commuted the death sentence to Saiful Ali and Ansar Ali. The two were reportedly found guilty of gang rape and murder. The Division Bench further acquitted Sk Emamul Islam, Aminur Islam and Bhola Naskar of the gangrape charges while convicting them for criminal conspiracy and causing the disappearance of evidence.

Holding that the three have already suffered incarceration for more than 10 years since their arrest and their conviction entails a maximum of seven years imprisonment, the court directed that they will be set free upon payment of Rs 10,000 fine each, in default of which they will undergo simple imprisonment for three more months. According to news agency reports the family members of the victim have said that they would appeal against the order before the Supreme Court. A news agency reported that the state may approach the Supreme Court challenging the Division Bench judgement.