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3rd MANIPAL RANKA NATIONAL MOOT COURT

COMPETITION, 2017

MOOT COURT PROPOSITION

Brief Facts:

The cold evening of Delhi on 16th December, 2015 the twenty two year medico
namely Sunita, who had gone with her friend Suneel, a medico, to watch a film at EP, while
returning for the girls hostel was standing at Jawahar Circle. A classic Car Innova 7seater,
with all gadgets, bar, pillows and CC TV Camera etc. driven by a commerce graduate Shri
Naveen along with his three co-students named Ramesh, Suresh and Dinesh (minor) stopped
and offered them lift to drop at the girls hostel on Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg, which was
readily accepted. She got prey to the savage lust of this gang of four, who threw Suneel in a
dense forest beyond Jagatpura after robbing him and giving threats of murder, where he
became unconscious, was naked and all the four one by one assaulted her in the Car. Her
private parts were ruptured to fulfill their pervert sexual appetite, unthinkable and sadistic
pleasure. The attitude, perception, the beastial proclivity, inconceivable self-obsession and
individual centralism of the four made the young lady to suffer immense trauma and, in the
ultimate eventuate, the life-spark that moves the bodily frame got extinguished in spite of
availing of all the possible treatment that the medical world could provide. Her uterus, vagina
and other parts were damaged by iron-rod. She was thrown out of the Car naked. The death
took place at a hospital in IIMS, New Delhi where she had been taken to with the hope that
her life could be saved.

2. Shri Suneel (PW-1) survived. A motor cycle arrived and the said man Shri Raj Kumar
(PW-72) gave the shirt and contacted control room. The PCR Van took him to SMS Hospital
for treatment. Sunita was searched by the police was found unconscious and naked, was
provided with clothes and was carried to SMS Hospital and later to New Delhi.

3. Wide and vast publicity was given by the print and electronic media, the Government
agency became active. In depth investigation was continuously made and to bring the charge,
modern and progressive scientific methods were adopted. The Innova Car No. RJ-14c-476
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was seized with iron rod, whisky bottles and glasses and CC TV footage. The accused
persons were arrested. Prosecutorixs and Suneels mobiles were recovered along with a lady
wrist watch make Sonata, her stained clothes and Rs. 1,000/- robbed from (PW-1). After
arrest all the accused were medically examined. The MLCs of all the first three accused
show various injuries on their person, the struggle marks. Dying declaration of the deceased
was also recorded in SMS Hospital. DNA tests were done. FIR was filed on 20.12.2015 by
(PW-1), which was handed over to S.I. Pratibha Sharma (PW-80) for investigation. Charge
sheet filed on 3.1.2016 under sections 376(2)(g), 302, 120-B, 377, 365, 366, 396, 397, 307,
412, 201 and 34 of IPC and Sections 354(3) and 235(2) of Cr. P.C.

Trial Court :

4. After the case was committed to the Court of Sessions, all the accused were charged.
The prosecution initially examined 82 witnesses and thereafter, the statements of the accused
persons were recorded and they adjured their guilt. Accused persons also examined 15.
Subsequently three more prosecution witnesses were examined and on behalf of the defence,
two witnesses were examined. Learned Sessions Judge vide judgment dated 10.09.2016
convicted all the accused persons under section 120B IPC for the offence of criminal
conspiracy; under Section 365 / 366 IPC read with Section 120B IPC for abducting the
victims with an intention to force the prosecutrix to illicit intercourse, under Section 307 IPC
read with Section 120B for attempting to kill PW-1, the Informant, under Section 376(2)(g)
IPC for committing gang rape with the prosecutrix in pursuance of their conspiracy; under
Section 377 IPC read with Section 120B IPC, for committing unnatural offence with the
prosecutrix; under Section 302 IPC read with Section 120B IPC for committing murder of the
helpless prosecutrix; under Section 395 IPC for conjointly committing dacoity in pursuance
of the aforesaid conspiracy, under Section 397 IPC read with Section 120B IPC for the use of
iron rod and for attempting to kill PW-1 at the time OF COMMITTING ROBBERY;
UNDER Section 201 IPC read with Section 120B IPC for destroying of evidence and under
Section 412 IPC for the offence of being individually found in possession of the stolen
property which they all knew was a stolen booty of dacoity committed by them.

5. After recording the conviction, as aforesaid, the learned trial judge imposed the
sentence :
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(a) The convicts Naveen, Ramesh, Suresh and Dinesh (after holding he is above 17
years) are sentenced to death with fine of Rs. 10,000/- to each, on non-payment
simple imprisonment of one month;

(b) For the offence under Section 120-B IPC 1 award the punishment of life
imprisonment to each of the convict and fine of Rs. 5000/- to each of them. In
default of payment of fine simple imprisonment for one month to such convict;

(c) For the offence under Section 365 IPC 1 award the punishment of seven years to
each of the convict and fine of Rs. 5000/- to each of them. In default of payment
of fine simple imprisonment for one month to such convict;

(d) For the offence under Section 366 IPC 1 award the punishment of seven years to
each of the convict person and fine of Rs. 5000/- to each of them. In default of
payment of fine simple imprisonment for one month to such convict;

(e) For the offence under Section 376(2)(g) IPC 1 award the punishment of life
imprisonment to each of the convict person with fine of Rs. 5000/- to each of
them. In default of payment of fine simple imprisonment for one month to such
convict;

(f) For the offence under Section 377 IPC 1 award the punishment of ten years to
each of the convict person and fine of Rs. 5000/- to each of them. In default of
payment of fine simple imprisonment for one month to such convict;

(g) For the offence under Section 307 IPC 1 award the punishment of seven years to
each of the convict person and fine of Rs. 5000/- to each of them. In default of
payment of fine simple imprisonment for one month to such convict;

(h) For the offence under Section 201 IPC 1 award the punishment of seven years to
each of the convict person and fine of Rs. 5000/- to each of them. In default of
payment of fine simple imprisonment for one month to such convict;
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(i) For the offence under Section 395 read with Section 397 IPC 1 award the
punishment of ten years to each of the convict person and fine of Rs. 5000/- to
each of them. In default of payment of fine simple imprisonment for one month to
such convict.

(j) For the offence under Section 412 IPC 1 award the punishment of ten years to
each of the convict person and fine of Rs. 5000/- to each of them. In default of
payment of fine simple imprisonment for one month to such convict

5.1. The learned trial Judge directed the sentences under Sections
20B/365/366/376(2)(g)/377/201/395/ 397/412 IPC to run concurrently and that the
benefit under Section 428 Cr.PC would be given wherever applicable. He further
recommended that appropriate compensation under Section 357A CrPC be awarded to
the legal heirs of the prosecutrix. That apart, as death penalty was imposed, he
referred the matter to the High Court for confirmation under Section 306 CrPC.

6. View of the High Court:

The High Court vide judgment dated 13.3.2017, affirmed the conviction and
confirmed the death penalty imposed upon the accused by expressing the opinion that
under the facts and circumstances of the case, imposition of death penalty awarded by
the trial court deserved to be confirmed in respect of all the four convicts.

7. Criminal appeals were filed before the Supreme Court by all the convicts,
which were consolidated. The convicts took following objections amongst others :

(i) Delayed registration of FIR;

(ii) Non-mentioning of names of assailants in the F.I.R.;

(iii) Inconsistencies and omissions amounting to contradictions in the testimony of

PW-1.
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(iv) Recovery of the Car and other items on personal search and statements of
disclosure leading to recovery;

(v) Admissibility and acceptability of the dying declaration of the prosecutrix

when no names were spelt out;

(vi) Insertion of the iron rod in the rectum and vagina after rape by all the convicts;

(vii) There was no criminal Conspiracy;

(viii) Age of Dinesh was 17 years and 10 months as per Matriculation School
Certificate against medical certificate of 18 years 8 months.

8. Kindly draw the appeal with pleadings and case-laws. Memorials to reach latest by
15.09.2017.

9. The appeals are pasted for hearing finally on 1st October, 2017.

Relevant Laws :

1. Indian Penal Code.

2. Indian Evidence Act.
3. Criminal Procedure Code.
4. Other relevant laws.

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Manipal Ranka Moot Court Comp.
3rd Manipal Ranka National Moot Court Comp. 2017

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