Goondas Act to be invoked in law student gangrape case

"Yes we have decided to invoke Goonda Act against all the seven arrested for gangraping the woman law student on October 13 last year. The proposal in this regrad has been prepared," DCP (West) D C Rajappa said.

The decision comes in the wake of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister R Ashok's announcement last week that the Goonda Act would be invoked against rapists.

Explaining the implications of invoking the Act against the rapists, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime-West) Pranab Mohanty said the culprits would be put behind bars for a "substantial" period, giving a reprieve for police to conduct proper investigation.

Earlier, the accused were getting bail and committing fresh crimes, he said.

The accused would also be treated as a threat to society and would be produced before the court only after review by an advisory board, Mohanty said.

The 21-year-old student of National Law School of India University was allegedly raped by an eight-member gang deep inside the wooded campus area of Bangalore University on the night of October 13, 2012 after the gang waylaid the car in which she was going with her boyfriend.

Seven of them were arrested on October 20, while the other managed to escape.