Nagpur: In a landmark verdict, the District and Sessions Court (Special Court) in Nagpur on Friday convicted four men for forcing a minor girl into prostitution and gangraping her in Itwari Peth area of Umred. The court sentenced each of the four convicts to imprisonment for life (till natural death) and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 each.
Special Judge R.P. Pandey delivered the historic judgment, which came after years of trial. The court, however, acquitted six other accused due to lack of sufficient evidence.
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29 dec 2025
The four men found guilty of the heinous crime are residents of Umred and Kuhi areas. They have been identified as: Roshan Sadashiv Kargaonkar (32), Gajanan Damodar Muruskar (41), Premdas Jagoji Gathibandhe (41) and Nitesh Arun Phukat (33).
Acquitted accused
Those acquitted due to insufficient evidence include Govinda Gulab Nate (25), Nikhil Vinayak Narule (28), Saurabh Uttam Reethe (25), Pradyumn Dilip Kurudkar (25), Rakesh Shankar Mahakalkar (27), and Mayur Bhaskar Dalal (25).
A case had been registered against all ten accused at Umred Police Station under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The court’s stern ruling has been hailed as a significant step toward justice for victims of sexual violence and human trafficking.
Incident that shamed humanity
The entire incident came to light in 2022. According to the investigation, on June 19, 2022, the main accused, Roshan Kargaonkar and Gajanan Muruskar, entered the victim’s house on the pretext of offering her work and raped her one after another.
After the rape, the accused threatened the minor girl and lured her with promises of money, forcing her to have sexual relations with other men as “clients.”
Roshan and his accomplices repeatedly threatened the victim and forced her into prostitution. This horrifying ordeal continued for nearly a month, during which men from the neighbourhood and nearby villages would come as “clients.”
The investigation revealed that Govinda was responsible for bringing clients to Roshan’s house, and this was also mentioned in the chargesheet. However, due to a lack of concrete evidence, the court acquitted Govinda along with six other accused.
On July 15, 2022, Roshan, Gajanan, and Govinda intercepted the victim on the road and told her, “Come home, we’ll pay you.” When she refused, they threatened to inform her mother about her past. Subsequently, five unidentified men, along with Roshan, once again gang-raped her at his house.
Unable to bear the inhuman torture any longer, the victim finally confided in her mother and lodged a complaint with the police. Special Public Prosecutor Vijay Kolhe effectively presented the case on behalf of the State Government. Following the verdict, the victim and her family expressed a sense of justice and relief.
