the goan I network
MARGAO
The heinous Betalbatim gang rape case has finally been committed to the South Goa Sessions Court for trial.
Judicial Magistrate First Class, Margao has committed the gang rape case to the Sessions Court since the case is triable exclusively by the Court of Sessions.
The three accused from Indore, Madhya Pradesh have already appeared in the Sessions Court, which will be tried by Additional Sessions judge. The court presided by Judge Amre will now hear arguments on August 14 before framing of charges against the three accused, including dreaded assailant, Ishwar Mackwana (27), Ram Bariya (19) and Sanjeev Pal (23).
While the State will be represented by Public Prosecutor Asha Arsekar, sources in the know said that the three accused may get lawyers to defend themselves under the free legal aid scheme.
The three accused were charged by the Colva police for gang raping a 20-year old girl and for assaulting her 22-year old boyfriend at Betalbatim’s Sunset beach on May 25 night.
In the chargesheet, the Colva police stated that the accused persons on the night of May 24, between 8.20 pm to 8.50 pm, wrongfully restrained the complainant victim and her boyfriend and threatened them with dire consequences before inducing the boy to hand over the keys of the scooter, thereby committing robbery.
The police further stated that the trio assaulted the victim’s boyfriend with fist blows and thereafter they had forceful sexual intercourse with the victim in turns against her wish and consent.
The accused were further accused for forcefully getting the victim and her boyfriend to undress before clicking their photos and video in a semi-nude state.
The Colva police further claimed in the chargesheet that accused No 3, Ishwar Mackwana, against whom a number of criminal cases are pending at Indore, including robbery and murder, later demanded an amount of Rs 10,500 from the duo, while threatening to make the photograph and video viral on social media.
The Colva police have cited as many as 55 witnesses in support of its case in the heinous gang rape as the men-in-uniform headed by Investigating Officer, PI Filomena D’Costa filed a bulky chargesheet containing as many as 292 pages.
