New lawyer to defend accused in Betalbatim gang rape

 The main accused Ishwar Mackwana escaped from police custody earlier this month and continues to be at large.   

City-based lawyer Adv Amay Prabhudesai has been appointed as the new lawyer to defend the accused persons from Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Though Adv Prabhudesai was not present in the court room on Monday, prompting Additional Sessions Judge Vijaya Ambre to adjourn the matter.  

The new lawyer has accepted the brief given to him under the legal aid scheme. Sources, however, said that Adv Prabhudesai may appear for the accused persons only from January 2019.   

In the meantime, the police escort party made elaborate security arrangements as they brought the remaining two accused Ram Bariya (19) and Sanjeev Pal (23) to the South Goa Sessions Court for trial on Monday.   

Once beaten, twice shy, so goes the saying, the police escort party was found vigilant, leaving nothing to chance as they brought the two accused to the court building.   

Meanwhile, the process to declare absconding accused Ishwar Mackwana as an absconder was set in motion by the court. 

Accused Ishwar had given the police escort party a slip while being taken to the TB hospital, Panaji a week ago.   

The three accused were accused by the Colva police under various provisions of the IPC, including gang rape of a 20-year old girl, robbery, extortion and wrongful restrainment. The trio were charged for wrongfully restraining the victim girl 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 assaulted the victim’s boyfriend with fist blows and thereafter had forceful sexual intercourse with the victim in turns against her wish and consent.   

The accused then forcefully made the victim and her boyfriend undress and clicking their photos and video in a semi-nude state.