Saharanpur (UP), Nov 6 (PTI) A fast-track court here on Friday sentenced two police officers to 20 years of imprisonment for raping a pregnant woman in Deoband 11 years ago when she went to the police station over her husband's arrest.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Prabodh Kumar Verma also imposed a fine of Rs 1.20 lakh each on the then Deoband Station House Officer (SHO) Brajmohan Yadav and Sub-Inspector Vedpal Singh, the victim's lawyer Rajiv Tomar said.
Police sources said Yadav was subsequently promoted to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and retired, while Singh, 58, was promoted to the rank of inspector and is currently posted in another district.
According to the prosecution, the incident took place in August 2015 when the woman's husband was allegedly arrested in a false case by Deoband police.
She alleged that when she reached the police station to seek his release, the SHO, the sub-inspector and others raped her despite her being two-and-a-half months pregnant.
Her sister-in-law, who was accompanying her, was also allegedly beaten up when she protested.
Tomar said the woman had submitted written complaints against four policemen to the Deoband police station and the then Senior Superintendent of Police, but no action was taken.
She subsequently approached the Allahabad High Court.
On the high court's directions, the Chief Judicial Magistrate ordered registration of a case.
The investigation was also handed over to the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CBCID), which filed a closure report, the advocate said.
Of the four accused, proceedings against a then outpost in-charge could not be initiated after he claimed to be mentally unwell. The fourth accused, a constable, could not be identified or traced. Consequently, the trial proceeded against Yadav and Singh, Tomar said.
After the sentencing, both convicts were sent to jail.
Tomar said the victim's side would approach the high court seeking enhancement of the punishment to life imprisonment.
The verdict came 11 years and three months after the incident, he added.
