The incident occurred on 22 August 2013, when she had gone to the deserted Shakti Mills compound, near Mahalaxmi in South Mumbai, with a male colleague on an assignment.

The accused took photos of the victim during the sexual assault, and threatened to release them to social networks if she reported the rape.

They were convicted on 15 July 2015, and sentenced to three years (including time in custody) in a Nashik reform school, the maximum punishment that a juvenile offender can receive under Indian law.

[4] A 22-year-old photojournalist working in Mumbai was gang-raped by five people at the Shakti Mills compound, where she had gone on assignment with a male colleague on 22 August 2013.

[5] According to the statements given to the police by the two victims, the photojournalist and her colleague left their office at 5:00 pm on an assignment to take some photographs of the deserted Shakti Mills compound.

Five men tied up the male colleague and took turns raping the photojournalist while holding a broken beer bottle to her neck to keep her from shouting for help.

[6] In a statement to the media from her hospital bed, the victim said, "I want no other woman in this city and country to go through such a brutal physical humiliation.

The victim also expressed her eagerness to return to work, stating, "I want to join duty as early as possible."

Nirmala Samant Prabhawalkar, a member of the National Commission for Women who met the victim at the hospital stated, "She is recuperating from her injuries and trauma.

"[11] On 3 September, a 19-year-old telephone operator with a private firm reported to authorities that she had been gang raped at the Shakti Mills compound by five men on 31 July 2013.

[18] Similar to the photojournalist case, the men tied and beat up the victim's male companion, before gang raping her.

[18] Mumbai Police made the telephone operator undergo a "two-finger test", a check for a hymen as proof of sexual activity.

His parents, two sisters and two brothers, stayed at a rented flat at Jai Ambe Park in Virar (East).

Siraj Rehman Khan alias Sirju (24) was arrested from a hideout in Govandi on 24 August based on information police obtained from interrogating Shaikh and Jadhav.

This was confirmed by Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Ujjwal Nikam who stated, "Siraj Rahman Khan, an accused in Shakti Mills gang-rape case of photojournalist, is untraceable."

The court informed special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam that since the matter is on fast track, the trial should be completed within 60 days.

"[18] The friend of the telephone operator who accompanied her to the mill when the gang rape occurred deposed before the court on 20 November 2013.

[36][37] On 20 March 2014, the sessions court convicted all five adult accused on 13 counts, including gang rape, destruction of evidence, wrongful restraint, assault, common intention, unnatural sex, criminal conspiracy of the IPC and certain Sections of the Information Technology Act.

[38] "These accused have a criminal tendency and should be awarded strictest of punishment, which will serve as a deterrent," special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told the court.

[25] On 21 March, the Mumbai sessions court awarded life sentences to four of the accused in the telephone operator case.

A division bench of Justices Sadhana Jadhav and Prithviraj Chavan ruled, "While setting aside the sentence of death penalty, it may appear to the public at large that we play a counter majoritarian role.

The conduct of the accused, and their bold confession to the survivor that she is not the first one to satisfy their lust, is sufficient to hold that there is no scope for reformation or rehabilitation.

We therefore, feel that a sentence of rigorous imprisonment for the remainder of their natural life without any remission, parole or furlough would meet the ends of justice.

"[44] Then Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Naresh Agarwal (now in BJP) sparked a controversy over the brutal Mumbai gang-rape, saying that women needed to pay attention to their clothes to avoid being raped.

[49] The parents of the 2012 Delhi gang rape victim strongly criticized Mulayam and asked people not to vote for his party in the next election.

"[55][56] The remarks were criticized by both Bharatiya Janata Party and Indian National Congress politicians,[50] some of whom also demanded that Mulayam apologize for his statements.

[55][57] Rashtriya Janata Dal President Lalu Prasad Yadav criticized Mulayam stating, "He seems to have lost his mental balance.

"[58] Political leaders like Raj Thackeray and then Prime Minister candidate Narendra Modi heavily condemned Yadav for insensitive comments and anti-women views while appearing on Aap Ki Adalat.

"[61] In the wake of a gang rape in Budaun district, Uttar Pradesh on 27 May 2014, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon criticised Mulayam Singh's statement saying, "We say no to the dismissive, destructive attitude of 'boys will be boys'.

[64] The day following Yadav's comments, SP Maharashtra unit chief Abu Azmi told Mid-Day, "Any woman if, whether married or unmarried, goes along with a man, with or without her consent, should be hanged.