Kolkata, Dec 23 (NationPress) In the Hanskhali gang-rape and murder incident from Nadia district, a Ranaghat Sub-Divisional Court delivered a significant verdict on Tuesday, sentencing three individuals—including the son of a Trinamool Congress leader—to life imprisonment. The leader himself was handed a five-year prison term.

This ruling follows the conviction of nine individuals linked to the case announced on Monday. The family of the victim was left devastated upon hearing the court's decision.

Alongside Sohail (Braj) Gayali, son of the Trinamool leader, two other convicts, Prabhakar Poddar and Ranjit Mallick, also received life sentences. All three were charged with gang rape.

Sohail's father, Trinamool leader Samarendra Gayali, along with Dipto Gayali and another individual, was sentenced to five years for tampering with evidence.

Anshuman Bagchi, a neighbor, faced accusations of threatening the victim's family, compelling them to transport the minor's body to the crematorium, and being part of a conspiracy. He was found guilty by the court and received a three-year prison term on Tuesday.

The two minors involved were granted bail but are prohibited from any criminal activities for the next year, with each fined Rs 50,000.

The complaint regarding the gang rape was lodged on April 10, 2022, at the Hanskhali police station in Nadia's Ranaghat police district. It was reported that a minor girl, invited to a birthday celebration of a local Trinamool Panchayat member's son on April 5, was gang-raped.

The son of the Panchayat member and several friends stand accused in this heinous crime. Moreover, the victim was allegedly found bleeding in front of her home. Following her death, her body was hastily cremated to eliminate evidence, leading to widespread outrage throughout the state.

In response to the Hanskhali incident, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee remarked, "I heard the girl had an affair! Would you classify this as rape?"

The victim's family contended that the minor was lured to the birthday party. Tragically, she succumbed to severe bleeding the following day. Her parents filed a formal complaint at the Hanskhali police station, and subsequently, a case was pursued in the High Court alleging police negligence.

The High Court transferred the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and instructed the police to ensure the victim's family received adequate protection. Following this, the CBI filed a charge sheet, leading to the conviction of nine individuals.

Addressing the verdict, defense attorney Raja Dhar stated, "The accused were not subjected to potency tests. There are numerous discrepancies in the CBI investigation. We will appeal to a higher court."