All the six accused in the Durgapur alleged gang rape case – Riyazuddin, Safiq, Nasiruddin Sk, Apu Bauri, Firdaus Sk, and Ali – are all currently in custody. File photo
Durgapur gang rape: Two accused offer to confess; survivor says classmate 'molested' her, fled
Court will decide on October 21 if the two accused Sk Riyazuddin and Sk Safiq in gang rape case and currently in judicial custody, can be treated as approvers
Two of the six accused in the October 10 Durgapur gang rape case – Sk Riyazuddin and Sk Safiq – have filed a plea before a local court seeking permission to confess their involvement in the crime.
Police officials said that if the court accepts their request, the duo may be treated as approvers during the trial.
The case involves a 23-year-old MBBS student from a private medical college in Durgapur, who was allegedly gang raped shortly after stepping out of campus with her classmate, Wasef Ali, for dinner. All the six accused –Riyazuddin, Safiq, Nasiruddin Sk, Apu Bauri, Firdaus Sk, and Ali – are currently in custody.
The gang rape
In her complaint, the survivor told the police that her classmate Ali molested her and fled the scene while she was trying to resist the attackers.
Also read: 'Dragged, threatened with assault by more men': Durgapur gang rape victim recalls ordeal
She later reiterated this account in her statement to a magistrate, adding that one of the men raped her while two others watched. Riyazuddin, a former guard at the college who was dismissed five years ago for indiscipline, and Safiq, a factory worker, allegedly arrived during the assault and demanded ₹3,000 from her. They took ₹200 and her mobile phone.
20 years in prison
Riyazuddin and Safiq were remanded to judicial custody for two days to reconsider their decision to confess. The court is expected to issue its order on October 21.
Also read: Police rule out gang rape angle in Durgapur crime, arrest survivor’s 'friend'
Lawyer Partha Ghosh, representing the survivor, said, “We have filed an appeal requesting that a test identification parade be conducted promptly.”
Under Indian law, the maximum punishment for gang rape is 20 years in prison, while extortion carries a sentence of up to seven years.