Kalyan rape, murder: Defence lawyers withdraw from case citing public sentiment

The lawyers of Sakshi Gawli the coaccused in the rape and murder of a 12yearold girl from Kalyan in Thane district on Friday withdrew from the case citing the peoples anger over the crime news agency PTI reportedGawlis husband Vishal who is the main accused in the case continues to be represented by his lawyersAccording to PTI Advocate Priyesh Singh announced in a video posted on social media that he and his colleague were returning the brief for the caseWhile we took up this case as judicial duty considering the strong social sentiment we believe it is not appropriate for us to continue representing Sakshi Gawli Singh said adding that the decision was voluntary and not taken under external pressure stated PTIOn Friday Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale visited the victimrsquos family in Kalyan The minister said the culprits should be hangedAthawale stated that the government would provide financial assistance to the victims family and the municipal corporation would demolish the accuseds house which has already been declared as hazardousVishal Gawli allegedly abducted the girl with the help of his wife from Chakki Naka area of Kalyan on December 23 when she was playing outside her house He allegedly raped and killed her The couple then took the body in an autorickshaw to Bapgaon on KalyanPadgha road and dumped it there as per the police case stated PTIKalyan rape murder Thane court extends police custody of accused couple by 2 daysA court in Maharashtras Thane district on Thursday extended the police custody of the couple arrested in the Kalyan rape murder case by two days on Thursday reported news agency PTIPrime accused Vishal Gawli and his wife Sakshi were presented before District Judge and Additional Sessions Judge VA Patravale at the end of their police custody in ThaneAfter the duo was presented before the court the police sought their further remand to continue their probe into the crime and to recover the mobile phone of the accused that he threw in the Kasara ghat section as well as a bag which he disposed of in a creek reported PTIThe lawyer representing the accused requested the court to allow their relatives to stay with them in police custody as they feared that they could be eliminated in a Badlapurlike encounter stated PTI However the court turned down the lawyers pleaWith in puts from PTI