A court in Mizoram has sentenced two suspended Border Security Force (BSF) personnel to 42 years of rigorous imprisonment for the gang rape of a woman and an acid attack committed in 2017. The verdict was delivered by an Aizawl district court, bringing to a close a case that had remained under judicial consideration for several years.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Sylvie Zomuanpuii Ralte had convicted the two accused, Nilanjan Das and Dinesh Kumar, on June 12 under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code. On Tuesday, the court pronounced the quantum of punishment, awarding consecutive sentences for multiple offences committed during the incident.
According to the court order, both convicts have been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for gang rape, 10 years for rape causing grievous bodily harm and 12 years for carrying out an acid attack. The sentences will run consecutively, resulting in a total imprisonment term of 42 years for each convict.
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The court also imposed a fine of ₹60,000 on each of the two men under the three counts. In the event of non-payment of the fine, the convicts will have to undergo an additional two months of imprisonment for each count, as directed by the court.
The case relates to an incident that took place on July 16, 2017, near the Gaskata River in Silsuri West Village of Mizoram's Mamit district. According to the prosecution, Nilanjan Das, a resident of West Bengal, and Dinesh Kumar, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, sexually assaulted the woman before attacking her with a corrosive substance, causing severe injuries.
BSF sources said both personnel were suspended from service immediately after their arrest following the incident. With the court having now delivered its verdict and sentence, the force is expected to initiate formal proceedings to terminate their services, bringing departmental action in line with the judicial outcome.
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