The victim, a 22-year-old labourer, was living in a godown at Ashapura in Saki Naka at the time of the incident. In the wee hours of August 24, 1998, Hanumanta Malwari and an accomplice identified only as Suresh forced their way into the victim’s shanty around 2 am. The two were carrying iron rods. They also threatened to kill the victim’s one-year-old child if the couple raised an alarm.While Suresh pinned down her husband, Malwari raped the woman. The couple later lodged a complaint at the Saki Naka police station. Malwari, a driver, was arrested. Suresh remains at large till date.

It took about eight years for the trial to begin. Public prosecutor Usha Kiran Makasare examined seven witnesses, including the victim’s husband, an eyewitness. “The victim was a labourer, but she still pursued the case doggedly. Her husband also supported her throughout and stuck to his statement,” said Makasare.