Mumbai gangrape: Photojournalist identifies assaulters,’faints’ in court during trial

The victim,who was allegedly gangraped in the Shakti Mill compound on August 22,was accompanied by her mother in the sessions court during its in-camera proceedings.

The woman stuck to her statement given to the police,narrated the entire incident and shared her ordeal in court on the third day of the trial,Nikam said.

She also identified the porn clip shown to her by the accused during the sexual assault,he said.

Nikam described the victim as “confident,articulate and narrative” and said she was “tense” during the deposition and at times requested for a small break.

However,the four accused in the case remained “unfazed,remorseless and unmoved” during the proceedings,he said.

In view of the incident,principal judge Shalini Phansalkar Joshi adjourned the trial until Friday.

The journalist,who was interning with a English magazine,was allegedly gangraped by five men,including a juvenile whose trial has been separated,when she had gone to the

deserted mill compound with her male colleague on an assignment.

The accused had tied up the victim’s colleague with belts and allegedly raped her.

The accused Vijay Jadhav,Qasim Bengali,Salim Ansari and Siraj Rehman have been charged with rape,conspiracy,common intention,unnatural sex and charges under the Information Technology Act.

The Mumbai crime branch had on September 19 filed a 600-page chargesheet against four of the accused.

An 18-year-old telephone operator was also allegedly gangraped on July 31 by five men,three of whom are also allegedly involved in photojournalist gangrape case,police said.