5 given life-term in Dhaula Kuan gang-rape case

Earlier, the court had found them guilty last week for abducting and gang-raping the victim.

Additional Sessions Judge Virender Bhat pronounced the quantum of punishment.

The case dates back to 2010 when a 30-year-old woman, working as a call centre executive, was abducted and brutally gang-raped by the five convicts when she was walking home with her friend at night after her work shift ended.

According to the prosecution, on November 24, 2010, Shamshad alias Khutkan, Usman alias Kale, Shahid alias Chhota Billi, Iqbal alias Bada Billi and Kamruddin alias Mobile had abducted the young woman hailing from the northeast, when she was walking back home from BPO office with a friend.

The friend who was with the woman when she was abducted had phoned the police for help.

The victim was taken to Mangalpuri where she was gang-raped and left on an isolated road near Dhaula Kuan in South Delhi.

The five accused were later arrested from Mewat in Haryana.

They were tried on charges of gang-rape, criminal intimidation and abduction.

They had claimed innocence, saying they were falsely implicated in the case.

After four long years, the Sessions court pronounced all of them guilty.

The incident, which became infamous by the name “Dhaula Kuan Gangrape case” sent shockwaves across the society.

It forced the Delhi administration to amend laws regarding women working at night shifts.

After the incident, Delhi Police ordered all BPO companies in Delhi and the National Capital Region to drop women employees home while providing them security.

Following which all call centres adopted new safety guidelines for women working the late shift.