In the case wherein a Bangladeshi woman was trafficked, gang-raped, and the video circulated in May 2021, a city court on Friday sentenced the seven accused to life imprisonment. A woman accused in the case was sentenced to 20 years, while another accused to five years, and two others to nine months.
The video went viral in Bangladesh and Assam, triggering a manhunt. The two accused and the victim were found in the city. With the case being cracked, police also busted a multi-city prostitution ring run by Bangladeshi nationals in the country.
The prime accused, Sobuj and Hridoy Babu, used to lure women into the country from Bangladesh promising them jobs, and later pushed them into flesh trade. The victim had been brought in a similar manner. However, the gang was angry that she had not only gone out of their clutches but also weaned away other girls.
She had rescued and sent back two girls to Bangladesh. She also owed the gang ₹6 lakh. The gang called her home to settle the financial dispute, gang-raped her, recorded the video, and put it out on social media.
Prime accused — Sobuj, Hridoy Babu, Rafsan Mandal, Rakibul Islam Sagar, Mohammed Babu, Dalim and Ajim — were awarded life sentence. Tania, the woman seen participating in the gang-rape was sentenced to 20 years, accused Jamal to five years, and Nusrat and Kajal to nine months each.
Ramamurthy Nagar Police filed the charge-sheet in the case in July 2021 and within a year, the trial was conducted and the accused sentenced.
