Eleven convicted in Guwahati molestation case

Eleven accused in the sensational G S Road molestation case in Guwahati on July 9, including prime accused Amarjyoti Kalita, were convicted on Friday while four others acquitted.

Kamrup Chief Judicial Magistrate S P Moitra convicted prime accused Amarjyoti Kalita along with 10 others under various Sections of IPC.

The CJM acquitted local television channel journalist Gaurav Jyoti Neog, Hafizuddin, Diganta Basumatary and Jitumoni Deka due to lack of evidence.

Besides Kalita, the others convicted include Puspendra Das, Sikandar Basfor, Dhanraj Basfor, Nabajyoti Baruah, Nabajyoti Deka, Deepak Deb, Rubul Ali, Deba Das, Rupkanta Kalita and Ghanasyham Kumar Malik.

Altogether 16 persons were taken into custody, but one of them was a minor and his case was being heard in the juvenile justice court.

Altogether 24 witnesses were examined during the trial by the CJM.

The quantum of the sentence was expected to be announced later in the day.

All the accused were currently on bail and the convicted have submitted an application with the CJM that as they were not satisfied with the judgement and have the statutory right to appeal before the Sessions Court within 30 days, they should continue to be on bail during the appeal period.

The incident created a nation-wide sensation when a girl was molested by a group of people outside a bar on the night of July 9 with the entire incident captured by Neog on camera which was later telecast and even uploaded on Youtube.

The government had constituted a Special Investigation Team headed by Superintendent of Police (Operation) Ranjan Bhuyan which submitted the chargesheet on September 4 last in which 16 persons were named as accused.