The parents and a brother of the accused will now stand trial for the charge of gangrape following Metropolitan Magistrate J P Nahar’s order that came on the basis of the girl’s statement in court today.

“After examination of prosecution witnesses (including the victim), it is noted that prima facie, the offence under Section 376(2)(g) (gangrape) is made out. Cognisance is taken against all the accused for the said offence,” the Magistrate said in his order.

The kidnapping-cum-rape case was lodged at Badarpur Police Station in September 2001 after the victim told the police that she was kidnapped by the two juvenile accused at knife-point and was later raped by them in one of their houses.

As the accused were minors, their case was shifted to a Juvenile Justice Board. However, finding the parents and a brother of an accused prima facie guilty of “aiding” the girl’s kidnap, the police had booked them under kidnapping, for which the trio had been facing prosecution till date.

The trio would now be tried under stricter charges, which entails a maximum punishment of life imprisonment, after the victim’s statement that she was raped in front of the family of the accused.