While searching for the reports where blind people have helped in the conviction, I've come across this very fascinating read. Hope this would help other researchers working on related issues also. Written by Express News Service | Pune | Published:August 17, 2011 3:28 am http://indianexpress.com/article/pune/their-voice-nails-them-rapists-get-10year-jail-term/ The identification of their voices and vehicle by a visually impaired friend of a blind rape victim proved vital in the conviction of the accused. Additional sessions judge S D Darane awarded 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000 each or six months’ additional imprisonment to Maruti Suresh Pawale (30) and Nitin Vitthal Pawale (32) for raping the 48-year-old woman,who was travelling from Shaniwarwada to her village near Khadakwasla with her friend Pravin Wankhede.
Wankhede and the woman had,in 2008,gone to collect charity given out by an institution for the blind near Rajaram bridge. They wanted to board a direct bus from Shaniwarwada to their village. “On reaching the bus stop,we got to know that the bus had left. We waited for another bus that took us to Khadakwasla. After getting down,a tea stall owner helped us get into a jeep,” the victim said in her complaint. After travelling for about 30 minutes,it was just the woman,Pravin and the two accused in the jeep. Nitin,who was driving the jeep,asked them to get down at a place saying they had reached their village but they knew that the unfamiliar road was not leading to their village. They tried to tell this to the accused,who manhandled Pravin and took the woman to a nearby ditch,where they raped her. Pravin was kept away from the spot. The accused later dropped them near their village. “Being blind,we have a habit to touch and feel the place where we sit. Accordingly,we had noticed that the seat of that vehicle was torn and big iron rods were placed under the seat,” the victim said. The observation came handy in identifying the vehicle The woman had told Pravin about the incident on reaching home. “Initially,he didn’t want to go to the police. But I was adamant because I did not want any other blind person to go through the same trauma,” the victim said. They filed a complaint with Haveli police station,and the victim’s vaginal swab was tested by which it was confirmed that she was raped by two persons. Additional public prosecutor Sunil More said Pravin had also helped in identifying the voice of the two accused from 15 samples. As many as 20 witnesses were examined. “Statements of the complainant,the tea stall owner who had helped them in getting the jeep,co-passengers who identified the two accused and medical reports helped in the conviction,” More said -- Avinash Shahi Doctoral student at Centre for Law and Governance JNU Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ To unsubscribe send a message to accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list..
