Dorphang loses Chairman post, CM defends HDR
SHILLONG: Six persons, including Mawhati MLA Julius Kitbok Dorphang (52), have been charge-sheeted in the 14-year-old girl’s rape and trafficking case.
M.N Khan, the investigating officer at Laitumkhrah police station, submitted the charge-sheet to the Court of Special Judge (POCSO), Shillong Court.
SP (City) Vivek Syiem, in a statement issued to the media on Thursday, said Dorphang has been charge sheeted under Section 5 (C)/(1)/6 of the POCSO Act that calls for punishment of a public representative raping a minor.
The others, Mamoni Parveen, Darisha Mary Kharbamon and Monalisa Shangpliang, are charge-sheeted under Section 366 of the IPC, reinforced with Section 77 of the Juvenile Justice Act, Section 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, Section 17 of the POCSO Act for procuring and inducing a minor girl for illicit intercourse with another person, inducement for prostitution and abetment for any offence under POCSO.
Sandeep Biswa, Mamoni’s husband, and Elbert Shemphrang Kharlukhi, Dorphang’s aide and surrendered HNLC cadre, have also been charge-sheeted under Section 17 of the POCSO Act.
As many as 42 witnesses have been examined in this connection and supplementary charge-sheets will be submitted shortly against the accused persons after further evidence is received.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said on Thursday that the Mawhati MLA was removed from the post of chairman of Meghalaya Khadi and Village Industries Board.
“We have denotified his political appointment and now he continues to be a legislator,” said Sangma.
Though the present charge-sheet was filed for the trafficking and sexual abuse of the girl in the guest house at Motinagar under the jurisdiction of Laitumkhrah police station, the whole episode of trafficking and rape of the minor girl was exposed after police raided Marvelene’s Inn at Rilbong on December 16 following a complaint lodged by the girl at Laban police station that she was sexually exploited at the Inn.
Police had arrested a waiter of the Inn, Usha Deb Barman, and Mamoni, the main trafficker after raiding the guest house, which is run by Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh’s family. Altogether 17 persons have been arrested in connection with the case.
Several activists in the city have been demanding Lyngdoh’s resignation following the sex racket case, but the Mukul Sangma government has so far overlooked the demand.
Even on Thursday, the Chief Minister, when asked about Lyngdoh’s exit, said, “Though there have been demands from some quarters, we will be guided by the law of the land… we have looked into all inputs coming up from the investigating agency and based on those inputs I have not found any reason to ask him or rather to relieve him from the portfolio of Home (police). If there is any slightest indication that there is a reason to believe that some influence is attempted, I would have done that (removed him).”
Based on the statement of the minor girl, chairperson of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights Meena Kharkongor filed a series of FIRs. It was only after Kharkongor filed the FIR against Dorphang that the police acted and arrested Dorphang from Guwahati on January 6. A case was registered against him at Laitumkhrah police station on December 24 following the FIR filed by Kharkongor.
The chairperson had also filed another FIR against Dorphang in Ri Bhoi on January 5 for the rape of the girl in a guest house there. A separate charge sheet will be filed in this regard.
While three persons were arrested after Kharkongor filed another FIR with Laban police, the remaining eight persons involved in the crime are in judicial custody for the cases registered under Madanrting police station.
Police are looking for four more persons involved in the crime as named by the victim before filing separate charge sheets.