The prosecution on Tuesday closed the Shakti mill telephone operator gang-rape case of July 31, 2013 as it has examined all the witnesses.
“We have closed the case today and the court will start recording statements of the accused under section 313 of Criminal Procedure Code on Friday”, special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told.
In a statement under section 313 of CrPC, the accused is given a chance to explain the circumstances and the allegations against him/her.
Nikam said the prosecution has examined 332 witnesses, including the telephone operator, to strengthen their case.
He also added that the photo-journalist gang rape case was at the fag end with only 8 to 10 witnesses remaining to be examined.
Police had arrested Mohammed Ashfaq Sheikh, Mohamed Kasim Hafiz Sheikh alias Kasim Bangali, Salim Ansari, Vijay Jadhav and a minor for gang rape of the 18-year-old telephone operator on July 31, 2013.
The police on October 8 filed a 362-page chargesheet against four accused in connection with telephone operator gang rape case. The minor’s case was separated.
In another case, a journalist, who was interning with an English magazine here, was gangraped by five persons, including a juvenile, when she had gone to the deserted mill compound with her male colleague on an assignment on August 22, 2013.
The accused – Vijay Jadhav, Kasim Bengali, Salim Ansari and Siraj Rehman – have been charged with rape, conspiracy, common intention, unnatural sex and charges under Information Technology Act, while the trial of the juvenile was separated.
The Mumbai crime branch had on September 19 filed a chargesheet against the four accused.
