19 FIRs, only 3 charge-sheets filed in minor’s rape case

SHILLONG: The sensational case involving the 14-year-old girl, who was raped by former MLA Julius Dorphang and at least 20 people, has not progressed as only three charge-sheets were filed by the East Khasi Hills police.
The chairperson of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Meena Kharkongor, had lodged 19 FIRs against the accused involved in the crime.
The case was detected after the girl lodged a complaint with the Laban police in December 2016 that she was raped by many people at Marvelene’s Inn in Rilbong run by the family of former Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh.
Despite the pressure from several quarters, police or the previous Congress-led government did not take any action against either the former home minister or his family as the government believed that law would take its own course of action.
Earlier, police had arrested as many as 19 persons involved in the crime.
However, three charge-sheets were filed against only two of the accused — Dorphang (both in Shillong and Nongpoh) and 66-year-old Kentley Tanglang for allegedly raping the girl on at least two occasions.
Police are yet to file charge-sheet against others, including the kingpins involved in the crime.
Besides Dorphang and Tanglang, among those who were arrested by the police in the past include Madan Bahadur Thapa, Nirdesh Jain, Elbert Kharlukhi, W Khongsit, Sandeep Biswa, Usha Debbarman, Mamoni Parveen, Mary Kharbamon, Monalisa Shangpliang, Hussain Ali and an army man called Sagar. Several of these accused had already obtained bail.
A few are still absconding, including a person from West Bengal whom the girl addressed as ‘professor’.
Dorphang had contested the just concluded Assembly elections and people had supported him despite being a rapist making him a runner-up in the election.
Concern over slow process
In a recent meeting, Kharkongor asked the East Khasi Hills police to speed up its investigation so that more charge-sheets can be filed and people continue to have faith in police and the judiciary.
She had also raised objection to granting bail to the officer in charge of Mawngap police station after he allegedly raped a woman.