Face2News/ Ranaghat, Nadia (West Bengal)

The Court of Ld. Additional District & Sessions Judge, Special POCSO Court, Ranaghat, Nadia, West Bengal, today, i.e., 23.12.2025, pronounced the quantum of punishment for the nine accused persons who were convicted in the Hanskhali Gang Rape case on 22.12.2025. Three accused persons who had committed gang rape on the minor victim girl have been sentenced to life imprisonment. 

This case was registered on 13.04.2022 at CBI, SCB, Kolkata under Sections of IPC and POCSO Act in pursuance to order dated 12.04.2022 passed by Hon’ble High Court at Calcutta in W.P.A. Nos. 157 of 2022 and 154 of 2022, by taking over Hanskhali PS case number 327/2022 dated 10.04.2022 of Nadia district, West Bengal in the matter of gang rape and murder of a minor victim girl aged about 14 years. Since the deceased victim was a minor, offence of gang rape of a minor girl under provisions of IPC was later added. 

After investigation, CBI filed chargesheet on 07.07.2022 against nine accused persons viz. Soyal Gayali @ Brojo; Angsuman Bagchi; Prabhakar Poddar; Ranjit Mallick; Akash Barai @ Tarak; Dipta Gayali; Surojit Roy; Samarendu Gayali and Pijush Kanti Bhakta under different Sections of IPC and POCSO Act. 

The  Hon’ble Court has sentenced the convicted nine accused persons, as follows: 

Accused persons Soyal Gayali @ Brojo, Prabhakar Poddar and Ranjit Mallick who had committed gang rape on the victim girl were convicted for commission of the offences of criminal conspiracy, gang rape of a minor girl, criminal intimidation and destruction of evidence and have been sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life and fine. 

Accused persons Akash Barai @ Tarak and Surojit Roy who had threatened the family members of the Victim Girl not to lodge the FIR and not to go outside for the medical treatment of the VG were convicted for offences of criminal conspiracy and criminal intimidation and released on probation of good conduct. 

Accused persons Samarendu Gayali and Pijush Kanti Bhakta had threatened the family members of the victim girl not to lodge the FIR and not to go outside for the medical treatment of the victim girl and were also involved in the destruction of evidence were convicted for the offences of criminal conspiracy, criminal intimidation and destruction of evidence and have been sentenced to RI of 5 Years and fine and the accused Dipta Gayali has been sentenced to RI of 3 Years and fine. 

Accused Angsuman Bagchi who had forcefully cremated the dead body of the victim girl resulting into destruction of evidence was convicted for the offences of criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence and has been sentenced to RI for 3 Years and fine. 

All the accused persons were taken into judicial custody by the Court on 22.12.2025 at the time of pronouncing judgment of conviction.