Chhawla Gang Rape Case: Victim's Father To Appeal Against SC's Acquittal Of Accused On Death Row

The apex court on Monday acquitted three accused who kidnapped a 19-year-old girl and then brutally murdered her in Delhi's Chhawla area.

Supreme Court of India (Source: File photo/AFP)

Days, after Supreme Court ordered the release of three men, who were accused of abducting, raping and killing the 19-year-old woman in February 2012, the family of Chhawla gangrape victim on Wednesday said that they would appeal against the Supreme Court's acquittal of the three accused in the case, as reported by news agency PTI.

The apex court on Monday acquitted three accused who kidnapped a 19-year-old girl and then brutally murdered her in Delhi's Chhawla area. All three challenged the High Court's decision to uphold the death penalty in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court on Monday set aside the High Court's decision. 

The victim's father expressed disappointment over the verdict and said, "We will appeal against the Supreme Court's verdict, which has allowed the acquittal of the three accused. We are in the process of finalising it and will file an appeal soon to reconsider the verdict." The family wants the death penalty for all the accused.

"We want death penalty for all three accused... All the culprits should be hanged... only then will my daughter get justice," he told PTI.

On February 9, 2012, Ravi Kumar, Rahul and Vinod kidnapped the girl on her way home with three colleagues who lived in the same neighbourhood.

The victim was reportedly taken to a mustard field about 30 km away in Rodhai village of Rewari district, Haryana. Then the girl was thrashed with the tools used in the car, her body was smeared with cigarettes and her face was burnt with acid.

"Even after 11 years, this is the verdict. We have lost it...We lost the battle...I was living with this hope...I have lost my will to live. I thought my daughter would get justice," the victim's mother said, breaking into tears outside the apex court premises.

The victim's father said, "What was supposed to happen with criminals ultimately happened with us." "It has been 11 years of running from pillar to post. The lower court announced its verdict and we were relieved. From the high court also we were given assurance. But the Supreme Court let us down. What was supposed to happen with the criminals ultimately happened with us.

"The law and order system in our country is not for poor people. If this had happened with a rich influential person or a politician, would they also have faced the same fate? It is like taking advantage of poverty," he had told PTI earlier.

The victim, who was working in Gurugram's Cyber City area, belonged to Uttarakhand, according to the prosecution.

(With PTI Inputs)