Mumbai: Man convicted for Nirbhaya-like Sakinaka rape-murder case

Eight months after the brutal rape-murder of a 32-year-old woman, that bore resemblance to the Nirbhaya case, the accused, 45-year-old Mohan Chauhan, was convicted by a sessions court in Dindoshi on Monday. The incident had led Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announcing the fast-tracking of its trial. The court is likely to pronounce its sentence tomorrow.

The court found the accused guilty of all charges – among them some serious charges that can warrant a death sentence. The man had been charged for murder, provisions pertaining to rape, as well as under those of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The prosecution, led by special public prosecutor Raja Thakare and prosecutor Mahesh Mule, examined 37 witnesses. Among them was the complainant, an eyewitness, who had seen Chauhan with the victim outside the tempo in which the heinous crime took place.

In its final arguments, after conclusion of the trial, the prosecution had submitted before the court that the act was barbaric and that even the doctors who deposed before the court have stated how they have never seen such injuries in their career. It was also submitted that the incident took place in a metropolitan city of Mumbai in the late hours on a woman of the scheduled caste.