SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad Dec 19: The court of District and Session judge on Monday held three accused guilty of gang- rape of a teenager in a four-year-old case.
The District and Session Judge Niraj Kumar Vishwakarma while hearing the case exonerated one of the accused Sitaram Mahto out of four in the case, on grounds of the benefit of the doubt.
The court however held three other accused Ghaltu Mahto, Rajesh Mahto and Ashok Mahto guilty of the crime. The quantum of punishment in the case would be announced on January 5, 2023.
As per the FIR lodged in the Bhagabandh OP of the district on May 10, 2018, the victim had gone to the house of Sitaram Mahto on May 9, 2018, where the three accused Ghaltu Mahto, Rajesh Mahto and Ashok Mahto forcibly took her to the nearby jungle and assaulted her. They further had fled with the clothes of the girl after the crime.
As per the charges, Sitaram Mahto had called the girl to his house under the pretext of taking a loan. The court on Monday absolved Sitaram from charges.
