HC issues notice to rape-accused

SHILLONG: After a rape accused allegedly changed his date of  birth to claim that he was a minor to escape punishment, the mother of the rape victim, a minor girl, filed a petition in the High Court of Meghalaya seeking legal redress and the Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the accused.
After the case came up, the High Court besides issuing notice to the accused also called for records and posted the matter on June 9 for hearing.
Earlier, after the accused was shown as a minor, his case was transferred to Juvenile Justice Board to escape from punishment from a civil court
The 14-year-old girl was raped by the accused Raymidi Kharsahnoh actually 21 years hailing from Upper Shillong in 2013.
Recently, an FIR was lodged by CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing, stating that the accused misled the lower court by providing a false date of birth (DoB), 3/6/1997 instead of 3/6/1992 to gain favour from the Court in the trial of the case where he was charge sheeted.
As per the FIR, the claim of the accused was that he was 16.5 years when the incident of crime took place citing the baptismal certificate from the Minister Presbyterian Church  KJP Synod dated 14-11-2014 which had shown his date of birth as  3.6.1997.
Moreover, the order of Special Judge (POCSO) Court reflects that the Principal of  Gordon  Kynton Laimer School had also submitted the admission form of the accused to the court showing his date of birth as 3.6.1997. From the orders passed by the Court it was also seen that the name of the school was changed from    Gordon  Kynton Laimer School to Kyrdon Kynton Laimer School which  according to the FIR is meant to mislead the Court.
After the visit to the office of  DTO , the CSWO found that  the accused committed the crime when he was  driving a vehicle which means that he was not a minor. After verification of the learner’s license, it was found that the date of birth mentioned was 3.6.1992. His photograph in the  learner’s license corroborated that the accused was the same person.
The CSWO also visited Ganesh Das Hospital and found that he was born on 3.6.1992  as per official records.