New City, NY: യുവതിയെ പീഡിപ്പിച്ച കേസില്‍ കുറ്റക്കാരെന്ന് കണ്ടെത്തിയ ഭര്‍ത്താവിനെയും സഹോദരിയെയും ഭര്‍ത്തൃമാതാവിനെയും കോടതി ശിക്ഷിച്ചു. വിശാല്‍ ജഗോട്ട (34), അമ്മ പര്‍വീണ്‍ ജഗോട്ട (57), മകള്‍ രജനി ജഗോട്ട (31) എന്നിവരെയാണ് റോക്ക്‌ലാന്‍ഡിലെ കോടതി ശിക്ഷിച്ചത്. പര്‍വീണ്‍, മകള്‍ രജനി എന്നിവര്‍ ഏഴു വര്‍ഷം വീതവും വിശാല്‍ ഒരു വര്‍ഷവും ശിക്ഷ അനുഭവിക്കണമെന്ന് വിധി പ്രസ്താവിച്ച ജഡ്ജി വില്യം നെല്‍സണ്‍ വ്യക്തമാക്കി.

ശാരീരികവും മാനസികവുമായി യുവതിയെ പീഡിപ്പിച്ച ഭര്‍ത്തൃവീട്ടുകാര്‍ അടിമയെപ്പോലെയാണ് ഇവരെ കണക്കാക്കിയതെന്ന് കോടതി പറഞ്ഞു. 25-കാരിയായ യുവതിയുടെ പേര് പുറത്തുവിട്ടിട്ടില്ല. വിവാഹശേഷം അഞ്ചുവര്‍ഷം മുമ്പ് യു. എസ്സിലേക്ക് പോയ യുവതി ഇക്കാലമത്രയും ഭര്‍ത്താവിന്റെ വീട്ടില്‍ പീഡനം അനുഭവിക്കുകയായിരുന്നു. ഇരുമ്പ് പഴുപ്പിച്ച് യുവതിയുടെ കൈപൊള്ളിച്ച ഭര്‍ത്തൃമാതാവും ഇവരുടെ മകളും ആസ്പത്രിയില്‍പോയി ചികിത്സതേടാന്‍ അനുവദിച്ചില്ലെന്നും ടൂത്ത്‌പേസ്റ്റ് പൊള്ളിയ സ്ഥലത്ത് തേയ്ക്കാന്‍ നിര്‍ദേശിക്കുകയായിരുന്നെന്നും കോടതി ചൂണ്ടിക്കാട്ടി. യുവതിയെ ലൈംഗികമായി പീഡിപ്പിച്ചതുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട് ആരോപണവിധേയനായ ഭര്‍ത്തൃപിതാവിനെ കോടതി വെറുതെ വിട്ടു.

Journal News

NEW CITY — In the first trial of its kind in New York state, a mother and daughter from Ramapo were found guilty of labor trafficking and assault in the case of a young woman from India who testified she was brutalized by her husband and his family when she came to the United States following an arranged marriage.

Judge William K. Nelson, who oversaw the non-jury trial, found Parveen Jagota, 57, and Rajani Jagota, 31, guilty of two of three counts of labor trafficking, specifically of confiscating the 25-year-old victim’s passport and Green Card, and threatening her with physical violence if she did not comply with their wishes. Both counts carry a maximum sentence of seven years.

The two women, respectively the mother-in-law and sister-in-law of the victim, were also found guilty of second degree assault, a violent felony which carries a maximum sentence of seven years.

“I want to thank everyone for believing me and helping me,” said the victim, speaking through Arthur Ferraro, the prosecutor, and thanking Nelson, Rockland Family Shelter and the District Attorney’s office. Her name has been withheld by The Journal News.

In five days of testimony, the dark-haired petite woman had told Nelson that her in-laws forced her to perform backbreaking work, and beat her if it wasn’t to their satisfaction. She also said her movements were restricted, and that her mother-in-law burned her with an iron and her husband bit her on her face as part of a pattern of punishment.

But defense attorneys had portrayed the victim as an unhappy woman trapped in an arranged marriage who concocted lies about her husband and his family to escape the relationship.

“We’re happy. Clearly he believed her,” said Ferraro of Nelson. “I’m very happy for her. It might bring some solace to her.”

In additional rulings Monday, Nelson found the victim’s father-in-law, Aman Jagota, 62, and the victim’s husband, Vishal Jagota, 34, not guilty of all three counts of labor trafficking.

Aman Jagota was also found not guilty of forcible touching, a misdemeanor. But Vishal Jagota was found guilty of third degree assault, which carries a maximum sentence of a year in county jail.

The four defendants and the victim are natives of India.

“I strongly disagree with the verdict,” said Daniel Bertolino who represented Parveen Jagota. “I thought the evidence established reasonable doubt requiring an acquittal. We intend to appeal.”

Before Nelson delivered the verdict, the defendants paced anxiously outside the courtroom and spoke quietly to each other. All wore a red powder marking of their forehead, a sign that they had sought the blessings of Hindu deities before they headed to court.

They listened to the verdict with little show of emotion. Sentencing for all three defendants will take place on May 22.

The other three attorneys representing Aman, Vishal and Rajani Jagota, too, said they were disappointed by the verdict.

“We believe the evidence lent itself to a full acquittal,” said David Goldstein who represented Rajani Jagota. “It’s hard to understand that of four people accused of acting in concert, two are found guilty and two are found not guilty... We will appeal.”

The Rockland County District Attorney’s office said the case is the first time in New York state that a 2007 labor trafficking statute, commonly understood to deal with illegal immigrants being forced to work in inhuman conditions, is being used within the context of a household. The victim lived with her husband and his family in a multigenerational home on Butternut Drive in Ramapo.

Since the start of the trial, District Attorney Thomas Zugibe has said that he hoped this case would serve as an example to the public and to young women who may be in the same situation. He reiterated this after the verdict.

“This sends a strong message,” Zugibe said. “I hope other victims see this verdict and have confidence in the system. I believe this victim has opened the doors for other victims. They see there is a remedy.”