Suryanelli case: Raped by 42 men in 40 days,now verdict from Supreme Court

The parents of the girl, political leaders and women rights activists Thursday hailed the Supreme Court order setting aside the Kerala High Court's acquittal of 35 accused in the Suryanelli gangrape case. "We thank God. Our prayers for justice have been heard," the girl's father said from Idukki district. The Supreme Court over-ruled the verdict of the Kerala High Court which found just one man guilty. The Supreme Court has ordered the High Court to re-examine the evidence presented, and present its decision within six months. Her mother said she and her husband were grateful to all those who helped them in their prolonged pursuit of justice.

CPI(M) veteran and former chief minister V S Achuthanandan, who has taken the initiative in helping the parents of the girl to pursue the case, said he was happy that justice had been delivered though it came a bit delayed. In a statement here, the 88-year-old leader said he would continue his struggle for justice to victims in similar cases. P K Sreemathy, leader of CPI-M's women wing AIDWA and a former minister, said the apex court verdict in the Suryanelli case could be considered as a landmark order to be followed by courts in trial of sexual exploitation cases. Recently, the Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir expressed his concern over the delay in hearing the case, and promised to fast-track it. The Suryanelli rape case involves gangrape of a 16-year-old girl continuously for 40 days by 42 men in 1996.

The girl from Suryanelli in Idukki district of Kerala was abducted in January 1996 and was transported from place to place across Kerala. On September 6, 2000, the special court had sentenced 35 persons to rigorous imprisonment for varying terms. The Kerala High Court, however, acquitted all 35 convicts earlier and found only one of them person guilty of crimes related to

the sex trade and sentenced him to five years jail term and a fine of Rs 50,000. Later her family and the state moved the Supreme Court in 2005 against the high court's verdict.