Court convicts nine people, including TMC member & his son in 2022 Hanskhali gangrape-murder case

The Ranaghat Additional District Judge (ADJ) Court has delivered a historic verdict in the 2022 Hanskhali minor gang rape and murder case, convicting nine individuals. The case, which was investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following orders from the Calcutta High Court, reached its conclusion on Tuesday with the announcement of the sentences. The prime accused, Brajgopal Goali (alias Sohel Goali), and his father, local TMC leader Samarendra Goali, are among those found guilty for their roles in the heinous crime and the subsequent cover-up.

The incident dates back to April 2022, when a 14-year-old girl was gang-raped at a birthday party hosted at Sohel Goali’s residence. The victim was later dropped off at her home in a critical, bleeding state. Tragically, she succumbed to her injuries that same night after being denied medical attention due to threats from the accused. The perpetrators then allegedly forced the family to cremate the body without a death certificate or a post-mortem, using intimidation to silence the village.

The court categorized the convicts into four groups based on their involvement. Sohel Goali, Prabhakar Poddar, and Ranjit Mallick were charged under stringent sections including POCSO Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) and criminal conspiracy. Other associates, including Surjit Roy, Akash Baroi, and Samarendra Goali, were convicted for providing false information, criminal intimidation, and helping in the destruction of evidence. The CBI's forensic evidence and witness testimonies proved vital in establishing the Trinamool leader and his son as the primary culprits.

Initially, the defense had tried to shift the blame onto the victim’s parents for not seeking medical help, but the court rejected these claims after evidence showed the family was under severe duress. This verdict brings long-awaited closure to a case that had sparked nationwide outrage and raised serious questions about the safety of women and the misuse of political power in the state. The legal proceedings successfully unraveled the conspiracy that led to the victim’s forced and undocumented cremation.