Following is the chronology of events in a gangrape case in which the Delhi High Court today upheld the sentence of life imprisonment till death awarded to five convicts for raping a 52-year-old Danish woman here in 2014, saying the most important scientific evidence, the DNA report, has proven their guilt:
Jan 14, 2014: Danish woman loses way, approaches a group of several men asking for directions. They take her to a secluded spot close to the Divisional Railway Officers' Club near New Delhi Railway Station and nine persons gangrape her at knife point.
Jan 15: Victim leaves for Denmark without medical test.
Jan: Nine men including three juveniles arrested. Police book accused persons for various alleged offences including gangrape, kidnapping and robbery or dacoity with an attempt to cause death or grievous hurt.
Doctors in Denmark confirm rape on the woman. Request is sought for the victim to take part in the probe here.
Feb 20: Accused Shyam Lal claims impotence, says has not raped the woman.
Dec 25: Court directs investigating officer (IO) to give report on the procedure to secure victim's presence before it for recording her statement.
Jan 12-13, 2015: Eyewitness Shivji Singh, a gardener with Indian Railways, identifies the six adult accused in court as the ones who gangraped the woman.
Jan 29: Court begins trial, records statements of prosecution witnesses.
Jul 1: Danish woman appears in court as witness, records testimony and identifies some of the accused.
Jul 2: Victim deposes before Juvenile Justice Board carrying out proceedings against three minors but fails to identify them.
Dec 11: Court records statements of accused who claim innocence saying police falsely implicated them.
Feb 26, 2016: Court informed about death of accused Shyam Lal in jail, proceedings against him abated.
May 25: Court concludes hearing final arguments, reserves judgement in the case.
June 6: Court convicts five adult accused for offences of gangrape, dacoity, kidnapping, wrongful confinement, criminal intimidation and common intention of IPC.
June 10: Court awards life term to five convicts.
Oct: Convicts file appeal at Delhi High Court against their conviction and sentencing, court seeks response of Delhi Police.
Apr 16, 2018: Delhi HC dismisses the appeals and upholds the conviction and sentence awarded to the five rapists by the trial court.
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