PUNE: A fast track court in neighbouring Ahmednagar district on Saturday held all the three accused guilty in the sensational rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl at Kopardi on July 13, 2016.Special judge Suvarna Keole is likely to pronounce the sentences on November 22 after the defence and the prosecution lawyers are to complete their arguments over the point of sentence on November 21 and 22.The rape and murder incident had caused a major outrage across Maharashtra, leading to tension between Maratha and Dalit communities as the girl belonged to the Maratha community and the three accused belong to Dalit community.It also prompted the Maratha community to launch 'mook morchas' (silent marches) across the state for stringent action against the accused besides, seeking amendment to the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to curb its misuse and triggering the reservation demand for Maratha community.Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told TOI, "The court has held all three three accused - Jitendra alias Pappu Shinde (25), Santosh Bhaval (30) and Nitin Bhailume (28) guilty for all the sections which they were tried for. This included, criminal conspiracy, murder, abetment and outraging modesty of a woman besides offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act."According to a 300-page chargesheet filed by the police on October 7, 2016, Shinde committed the rape while Bhaval and Bhailume aided the crime. The prosecution had added the criminal conspiracy charge at the time of framing of charges by the court. A total of 70 witnesses were named in the chargesheet.Nikam said, "The court has held that the evidence produced on record by the prosecution stands fully established. The sentencing will now happen after the defence lawyers complete their arguments on November 21 and I will complete my arguments on November 22."Nikam told mediapersons outside the court that it was a challenging case as there were no eyewitnesses and the entire case was based on circumstancial evidence which the prosecution needed to establish in such a way that a complete chain of circumstances would lead the court to the conclusion about guilt of the accused persons. The victim's blood stains were found on the clothes of one of the accused, who was unable to explain the same during the trial, he added.The court has relied on the evidence provided by the prosecution witnesses, the medical reports relating to examination of victim and the accused and the scientific evidence including chemical analyser report, for holding the trio guilty.All the three accused were produced before the court amid an unprecedented security arrangement in and around the Ahmednagar district and sessions court on Friday. An air of expecteancy prevailed among the crowd which had gathered inside and outside the court premises located in the busy old city area of Ahmednagar.Defence counsel Yohan Makasare, who appeared for main accused Shinde, told TOI, "We will pray to the court for minimum punishment i.e. a life sentence considering that the case does not fall within the `rarest of rare case' definition by the Supreme Court."Lawyer Balasaheb Khopade , who represented Bhailume, said, "The judgment of conviction was more or less expected. We will argue our points for a lesser punishment on November 21."

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