The 398‑page chargesheet filed before the Greater Noida City Court on September 18 names Kuldeep Sharma and Sandeep Gupta as accused of sexually assaulting a minor on the night of August 4 while traveling from Greater Noida to Delhi. Delhi Police spokesperson Ramesh Kumar said the document also lists 10 police personnel, doctors and other witnesses who testified about the incident.
The minor, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, boarded the sleeper bus in Greater Noida after being told it was heading to Noida Sector 63. At the bus stop, she realized no other passengers were aboard and attempted to exit, but conductor Sandeep Gupta locked the door and prevented her from leaving. The bus then continued to Delhi, dropping the victim near Kashmere Gate where she filed a complaint.
Forensic analysis of the bus uncovered semen samples and hair strands, which were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory. Investigators also discovered the vehicle carried 11 pending traffic challans, seven of which were issued in July for alleged overspeeding. The bus’s CCTV camera was non‑functional, and curtains had been installed on its windows, while essential safety features such as a panic button and vehicle tracking system were absent.
The Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance of the case and a bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran expressed that the incident echoes the 2012 Nirbhaya rape, calling into question whether law‑enforcement mechanisms have improved. Justice Pardiwala remarked that “systemic failures persist” in protecting vulnerable passengers.
The Greater Noida City Court is scheduled to hear the case on October 5. If convicted, Kuldeep Sharma and Sandeep Gupta could face up to 14 years in prison and a mandatory 20‑year ban from operating public transport. The trial will also examine the bus operator’s compliance with safety regulations.