New Delhi, Aug 24 (IANS): Two armymen, members of the President's Bodyguards, were Thursday sentenced to life term for gangraping a college girl here in 2003 by the Delhi High Court which called their act as a "moral turpitude of extreme depravity".
Two of their accomplices were sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment for the gangrape at Buddha Jayanti Park near Rashtrapati Bhavan.
"They were military men and in uniform in broad day-light committed rape of a young girl, who was completely helpless before them. They have exhibited moral turpitude of extreme depravity by subjecting the teenage prosecutrix to rape and making her a victim of their physical lust," the court said, sentencing Harpreet Singh and Satyender Singh to life sentence.
"In the present case, as far as offence under Section 376 (2)(g) Indian Penal Code (gangrape) is concerned, the two appellants Harpreet and Satyender deserve the maximum punishment i.e. life imprisonment," said the court, while hearing their appeal against the trial court verdict.
"Both of them are more than six feet tall and well built. Instead of defending and protecting the public, they have committed an offence which does not deserve any soft or lenient approach. Their sentences under section 376 (2)(g) are confirmed," the court said, while confirming the life sentence of Harpreet Singh and Satyender Singh.
The two were found guilty of raping a 17-year-old student of a Delhi University college in the park Oct 6, 2003, while their colleagues Kuldeep Singh and Manish Kumar were convicted for helping them in the offence.
The court also ordered Munish and Kuldeep to surrender within two days and serve their remaining sentence. "In case they do not surrender, the trial court will take appropriate steps for their arrest," said the court.
The four have been found guilty under sections 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery), 366 (kidnapping) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Harpreet and Satyender have also been convicted for gangrape under section 376 (2)(g) of the IPC.
The court confirmed the sentence of 10 years' rigorous imprisonment awarded to the four for kidnapping the girl, said the bench.
The court, however, modified the trial court order of awarding 10-year imprisonment to accused under section 394 of IPC for voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery to five years.
"We feel that the end of justice would be met if the four appellants are sentenced to rigorous imprisonment of five years and fine of Rs.2,000 each. In default of payment of fine, they shall undergo simple imprisonment of four months," the court said.
The victim had gone with her friend to the park. The four first roughed up the girl's friend and then took her to a secluded place inside the park where they raped her, the prosecution said.