A Delhi court on Wednesday sentenced a ward boy to life imprisonment for raping a nurse in a private hospital last December.

The convict, Bhura, had on Tuesday offered to marry the victim, who rejected it and said she will rather see him hanged.

Soon after the verdict was handed over, she said she was happy with the sentence.

Delivering the order in a packed courtroom, Additional Sessions Judge J M Malik handed down maximum punishment to Bhura, who had gouged her eyes and inflicted serious injuries to her eyes, face and neck on December 7, 2003, in the hospital premises.

The court, which had convicted Bhura on April 29, had deferred pronouncement of quantum of sentence by a day following Bhura's marriage offer.

However, the girl, who was summoned along with her parents by the court to file their reply, not only rejected the proposal, which had triggered a public outcry, but also urged the court to give the convict death sentence.

"The convict has committed a horrendous crime, which should not be repeated. After he was found guilty, he is trying to escape punishment with the bogus offer," the girl said in an affidavit filed before the court through her counsel.

The court had framed charges against the accused on January 19, 2005. The prosecution examined 21 witnesses to prove its case.

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