JH gang-rape case: Four accused to be tried as adults

Hyderabad: The special court for POSCO cases at Nampally on Friday dismissed the plea of the four minors accused in the Jubilee Hills gang-rape case, challenging the juvenile justice board (JJB) order treating them as adults.

The court upheld the board's orders issued in September 2022. Now charges will be framed against the four boys, following which the trial will begin.

The four boys, along with another accused, identified as Saduddin Malik are facing charges of raping the girl in an SUV near a religious place in Jubilee Hills.  Another boy, the son of an MIM MLA, involved in the offence, was accused of sexual harassment.

Since the five boys were minors, their case was taken up by the JJB. The board ruled that four of the five shall be tried as adults, while the MLAs son will be considered a minor.

Challenging the board’s order, the four boys moved the court claiming that they are innocent and sought discharge. They later appealed to the court to treat them as minors.

After hearing arguments from the prosecution and the counsels representing the four boys, the court dismissed their appeal and passed orders stating that they would be tried as adults, as per the directions of the JJB. Meanwhile, the board began the trial against the MLA’s son.

The incident happened in May 2022, when the six boys trapped the girl while partying at a pub in Jubilee Hills.