NEHU assault, molestation case
SHILLONG: Call it inefficiency of the police investigation or loopholes in the Indian penal system, rape and molestation accused in Meghalaya have absolutely no problems in securing their freedom from the court through bail pleas.
A case in point is the surrender and subsequent release, albeit on bail, of three NEHU students who were accused of assaulting and molesting a girl inside the University campus.
When sought for his opinion on the matter, a lawyer said that very often the absence of proper investigation by the police result in the accused getting out on bail.
Sources said that the police should investigate the NEHU case properly and ensure that it builds up enough evidence before the next hearing to be able to oppose the bail before the court, if at all the accused were guilty of the crime.
Another case that comes to mind is of alleged rapist Charles Phawa who had gone to the extent of giving an extra-judicial confession before the mediathat he had raped a minor girl aged 15 years, though he claimed that it was consensual.
A fast track court acquitted Phawa who, incidentally, was never arrested since he had secured anticipatory bail. Later, the anticipatory bail was made absolute.
When pointed out that securing bails so easily would encourage others to commit similar crimes, East Khasi Hills district police chief M. Kharkrang said, “At the end all the accused will have to face trial and then they will be given punishment”.
He also stated that police have collected evidences in the NEHU molestation case and very soon police will file the charge sheet.
Theilin Phanbuh, Chairperson, Meghalaya State Commission for Women, said that it was high time that NEHU should take preventive measures for the safety of girl students inside the University premises since similar incidents had happened earlier also.