Suryanelli rape case: Court issues notice to Kurien

The horrific Suryanelli sex case occurred in Kerala's Idukki district Jan 1996, when a 16-year-old was threatened, abducted and abused by a bus conductor. She was sexually assaulted for 45 days by 42 men.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A Kerala court today issued a notice to Rajya Sabha speaker PJ Kurien and five others in connection with the Suryanelli gangrape case.

This comes in the backdrop of the Supreme Court setting aside the Kerala HC's acquittal of 35 people accused of raping a girl from Suryanelli village in Kerala's Idukki district in 1996.

Following the SC verdict, the girl demanded a fresh investigation against Kurien - which snowballed into a political controversy.

The apex court said the high court did not look at the evidence properly and directed that the case be re-judged again within six months.

Earlier, a lower court in Kerala on Saturday has rejected Suryanelli rape case survivor's plea against key accused Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien in the 1996 gangrape case.

The court said that there was no new evidence against Kurien. The verdict comes as a relief for Kurien as the Kerala High Court was yet to decide on a PIL seeking orders to make him accused in the 1996 rape case.

What is the Suryanelli sex case?

The horrific Suryanelli sex case occurred in Kerala's Idukki district Jan 1996, when a 16-year-old was threatened, abducted and abused by a bus conductor. She was sexually assaulted for 45 days by 42 men, and then threatened with dire consequences if she spoke of the incident, before being allowed to return home.

In repeated statements, the victim has claimed that PJ Kurien was among the men who abused her 17 years ago.

The Supreme Court Jan 31 ordered a retrial in the case, setting aside the acquittal in 2005 by the Kerala High Court of all but one of the 35 accused.

As the victim and her parents repeat that Kurien got away lightly, without being so much as named among the accused, thanks to his political clout, the Left has rushed to draw mileage from the accusations.

The tormented girl mustered the courage to talk of her experience, and the names of the high and mighty appeared as a special court named 35 accused and sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment.

On September 6, 2000, the trial special court convicted 36 people and sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment of varying terms. The Kerala High Court, however, acquitted all 35 convicts earlier and found only one of them person guilty of crimes related to the sex trade and sentenced him to five years jail term and a fine of Rs 50,000.

In 2005, however, the Kerala High Court acquitted all but one of those earlier named as accused. 

The victim's family and the state moved the Supreme Court in 2005 against the high court's verdict.

Source: http://in.news.yahoo.com/suryanelli-rape-case--court-issues-notice-to-kurien-101250552.html

Orphanage founder gets death sentence in girls' gangrape, murder case

PTI : Mumbai, Thu Mar 21 2013, 

Observing that the convict "was a menace to the society," a local court today awarded death sentence to the founder of an orphanage for murder of an inmate and gangrape of five mentally-challenged girls, including three minors.

One of the victims, suffering from tuberculosis, died after she was gang raped. Hence, prime accused and director of orphanage - Ramchandra Karanjule (54) - faced additional murder charge and was convicted on this count.

"He was menace to the society and life imprisonment will be highly inadequate in this case. The convict had no right to live in the society for the heinous crime he had committed," said sessions judge P V Ganediwalla while awarding capital punishment to Karanjule.

"Every day crimes against women are being committed. It is increasing day-by-day. The law changes as per the needs of the society. It is the need of the hour to create deterrent effect by imposing the highest punishment, otherwise judicial conscience will be taken for granted," the judge observed.

Karanjule and five others were convicted yesterday and today the court gave judgement on the quantum of punishment.

The offence was committed at the orphanage, located in Kalamboli area in Navi Mumbai and run by a private organisation, Kalyani Mahila Bal Seva Sanstha.

Of the three victims who testified in the court, one girl was mentally-challenged, while two girls were deaf and mute, who identified the main accused using signs.

Besides, awarding death sentence to Karanjule, the court sentenced to life imprisonment Khandu Kasbe, who runs a similar home in Shirdi, and Prakash Khadke, a teacher in the orphanage.

Also, orphanage superintendent Sonali Badade and caretaker Parvati Mavle were sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment.

Another convict Nanabhau Karanjule, convicted for molestation, was sentenced to two-year imprisonment.

Judge Ganediwalla said that Ramchandra, in the name of running a very noble institution for the cause of mentally challenged girls, created a 'demi god' sort of impression in the minds of the prospective donors which ensured free and continuous flow of donations to the orphanage in all forms.

"He not only exploited the vulnerable, defenceless physically disabled girls but also exploited the emotions of the donors," said the court.

The prosecution's case was that 19 victims were gang raped by three accused, while the rest were tried for other offences against juveniles.

Statements of 19 victims were recorded by a magistrate and of them, three had come before the court to testify against the accused.

Ramchandra, while holding quasi parental position, has in fact breached the trust and fiduciary relationship with the inmates of the home to satisfy his insatiable lust, it said.

The court also observed that the girls were not allowed to move around. These 19 girls were dumped in a shop-like enclosure of 250 sq ft which had no doors but rolling shutter. The girls were literally stuffed in the small room with no space to move around.

"The scars of injuries on their bodies speak for itself," the court observed.

Two untrained unqualified staff were kept to look after the girls. One of them was an illiterate old lady and other was a young girl who had an illicit relation with Ramchandra.

"The only objective behind running the orphanage was to satisfy the lust and to earn money. Ramchandra not only exploited the girls for years together but also allowed his friends to exploit the girls," the judge said.

The court also observed that the proceedings are unique and have shown the vulnerability of the orphans, especially the mentally and physically disabled girls and need for their protection.

While observing the quantum of sentence, the judge cited the Dhananjoy Chatterjee case and said that it was well settled that the death penalty should be inflicted on rarest of the rare case.

"The cumulative effect of all the circumstances which came on record shows that the present case is the rarest of the rare in its kind," observed the judge.

Praising the Child Welfare Committee the judge observed "but for the exhausting inspection and timely action the whole episode would not have seen the light of the day."

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/orphanage-founder-gets-death-sentence-in-girls-gangrape-murder-case/1091452/1

Help girls given away by parents as collateral for loan

Written by Uma Sudhir | Updated: March 16, 2013 16:17 IST

Ads by Google

LIC Life Insurance Plans – Invest Rs.543/Month & Get Rs. 1 Cr. Life Cover+Medical Benefit. Buy Now

LIC.TermInsuranceIndia.co.in

Hyderabad: When children become the currency to repay a loan, something must be terribly, terribly wrong. Three months ago, a 13-year-old girl and her six-year-old sister, the first and third among five girl children, were left at the house of a man from whom their parents had borrowed Rs. 34,000 nine months ago. They were unable to repay, so they gave the children in exchange, as surety, till such time that they would try and get the money.

"My mother gave me Rs. 20 and said they would come and take us later," said the teenager. She and her younger sister have been at the home of an ironsmith in Mahatipur village in Karimnagar district, where they worked like bonded labour for the ironsmith.

Villagers who noticed the children being badly abused complained to the police. The teenager has told the cops that she was sexually abused by the ironsmith when his wife was away.

Most Recent

• Man gets ten years jail for raping sister-in-law
• Libyan Embassy in Cairo suspends work

Also See

• 

  7:20
  In Andhra Pradesh, desperate farmers sell their kidneys to repay debts
• 

  2:47
  Dozens of child labourers rescued from Bangalore

The ironsmith admits the parents left the children with him because they could not repay the loan that now amounts to Rs.45,000. He, however, denies sexually exploiting the child.

"I looked after them like my own children. They are saying wrong things. The parents said they were not able to repay the money. So I should keep the children till then," he says.

A case of wrongful confinement, outraging modesty and under the Bonded Labour Act has been filed. The children have been handed over to the child welfare committee. They will now be taken to a government-run child welfare school-cum-hostel in Karimnagar. The parents of the girls are being contacted.

HOW YOU CAN HELP 
If you want to help the two girls, you can send cheques or demand drafts in the name of:
 
Meena and Uma (C/O District Collector, Karimnagar District)
Bank Name: State Bank of Hyderabad, Pragati Bhavan branch, Nizamabad 
Account Number:  62275464627 
Address: Pragati Bhavan, Ntr X Roads, Nizamabad-503102

FOR ONLINE TRANSACTIONS:
IFSC Code: SBHY0020961
MICR Code: 503004005
Branch Code: 020961

(Since the girls are minors, the amount will be released when they reach the age of 18 years, along with interest accrued.)

Source Note: This information has been provided / published on a good faith basis, without any commercial motive. NDTV does not vouch for the authenticity of the claims made by the intending donee, nor can we guarantee that the donations made by a donor will be used for the purpose as stated by the intending donee. You are requested to independently verify the contact information and other details before making a donation. NDTV and/or its employees will not be responsible for the same.