Jharkhand High Court denies relief in 30-year gang rape sentence, orders probe into ashram

The Jharkhand High Court has denied a request to suspend the 30-year prison sentence of a man convicted of gang-raping a 46-year-old woman at gunpoint in an ashram. The court also ordered a probe into the ashram's funding, activities, and other incidents. The man was sentenced in 2023 after being convicted of gang rape and house trespass in 2020.

The conviction was based on forensic evidence, including semen matching the victim's and multiple perpetrators. The court expressed concern over the safety of women at the secluded ashram, where women come to meditate, and stated that the lengthy custody period could not justify a sentence suspension. The court also noted the convict's criminal antecedents, including a potential murder allegation and cases of dacoity, robbery, and under the Arms Act.