Guwahati molestation case: Court convicts 11, acquits journalist who filmed assault

Guwahati: Eleven accused in the sensational the G.S. Road molestation case in Guwahati on July 9, 2012 including prime accused Amarjyoti Kalita, were convicted on Friday while four others were acquitted.

Kamrup Chief Judicial Magistrate S.P. Moitra convicted the prime accused Amarjyoti Kalita along with 10 others under various Sections of IPC.

Local television channel journalist Gaurav Jyoti Neog was acquitted along with Hafizuddin, Diganta Basumatary and Jitumoni Deka due to lack of evidence.

Besides Kalita, the others convicted include Puspendra Das, Sikandar Basfor, Dhanraj Basfor, Nabajyoti Baruah, Nabajyoti Deka, Deepak Deb, Rubul Ali, Deba Das, Rupkanta Kalita and Ghanasyham Kumar Malik.

Altogether 16 persons were taken into custody, but one of them was a minor and his case was being heard in the Juvenile Justice Court. Twenty four witnesses were examined during the trial. The quantum of the sentence was expected to be announced later in the day.

The accused are on bail and the convicted have submitted an application with the Chief District Magistrate as they were not satisfied with the judgement. They also have the statutory right to appeal before the sessions court within 30 days and they should continue to be on bail during the appeal period.

The incident created a nation-wide sensation when a girl was molested by a group of people outside a bar on July 9, 2012 and the entire incident was shot by Mr. Neog on camera which was later telecasted and even uploaded on YouTube.

The government had constituted a Special Investigation Team headed by Superintendent of Police (Operation) Ranjan Bhuyan which submitted the charge sheet on September 4, 2012 in which 16 persons were named as accused.