Sexual exploitation of minor
SHILLONG: The CSWO has condemned the alleged sexual exploitation of a minor girl by a State MLA even as it lauded the action of the Chairperson of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR), Mina Kharkongor, for filing an FIR against the legislator.
In a statement issued here on Tuesday, CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing said that no one is above the law and that the incident should act as a lesson to the so-called influential people.
The CSWO president demanded immediate arrest of the MLA who, according to it, should not be granted bail as per the POCSO Act. She also urged the police to follow the Act in its totality.
“The girl has been sexually exploited in various hotels and guest houses, according to the FIR filed by her on December 16, and she also mentioned a guest house in Motinagar where she was taken to an MLA whom she had named in the statement to the SCPCR Chairperson,” the CSWO said.
Laxity slur on Madanrting police
“The victim had also mentioned the incident to the Investigation Officer of the Madanrting police station who, however, did not act upon it,” Kharshiing alleged, and added that the FIR reveals only a part of the trauma that the victim went through.
“Not invoking sections 16-17 of the POCSO Act to Mamuni Parveen by the Madanrting Police in itself indicates that she is being helped to protect those connected with her,” Kharshiing alleged.
Many names have been revealed to the IO at Madanrting by the victim in her statement but no action was taken and the Chairperson had to file a separate FIR into the case.
According to Kharshiing, Parveen with whom the girl has been staying for about a year, had laced the drinks given to the minor girl before she was taken to a guest house in Motinagar where the MLA was, and this itself attracts sections 16 and 17 of the POCSO Act.
The CSWO leader said the girl had pointed to the photo of the MLA even to the Police, identifying him from a group of other men in the picture and when asked how she recognised him she stated that she had been taken to him twice.
“This is a minor girl and not somebody who can fabricate such a situation and what political ambition would she have,” Kharshiing questioned referring to the politically motivated statement of Mawhati legislator Julius Dorphang.
‘Home Minister should step down’
“The Marvelene’s Inn too had no CCTV functioning for 15 days giving a chance for a man to sexually exploit a child, which again leads to abetment and licence of these guest houses should be cancelled and the Home Minister should step down immediately as the guest house belongs to his immediate family member and is run by his wife,” Kharshiing said.
“The organisation is getting information of few more MLAs who demand under-aged virgin girls and the racket to exploit children is thriving as some legislators encourage the pimps and pay them heavily, thereby creating the demand even as corrupt law enforcers are given the task of protecting them,” Kharshiing alleged.
The CSWO urged the authorities to take the case of trafficking and sexual exploitation of children seriously and not to shield the perpetrators.