CSWO asks police to oppose bail
SHILLONG: Two victims have filed separate FIRs against an alleged habitual child molester in East Khasi Hills while a third has refrained from following suit fearing prolonged police and judicial process.
Informing about the alleged incidents, a statement issued by the CSWO on Sunday also urged the police to oppose his bail as the person is dangerous to children and teenagers. The statement said that in the first instance, the accused (34) molested an 11-year-old niece of his. An FIR was registered with Mawlai police station on September 10 in this connection, it said.
The accused had allegedly first molested her when she was 10.
Even as the victim revealed the matter to her family, another child (14-15 years) informed her relatives that she too had been molested by the same person. The second family too has filed an FIR. Another young girl has also alleged that she had been molested, but her mother has not reported the matter to the police worried over the tedious police and court case matters.
The CSWO president, Agnes Kharshiing, and general secretary Evangeline Thabah, in the statement said that they were also informed by the relatives of the first victim that the accused is a habitual offender.
A friend of the accused quoted him to tell the parents of the first victim that he wanted to molest teenagers. The person is willing to inform the police but the investigation officer was sent for training after the first victim filed the FIR. The CSWO urged the police to oppose his bail as the person is dangerous to children and teenagers. Besides urging the police to oppose the accused’s bail, the CSWO has also asked the government to ensure that statements of the victims are given to court in time in the interest of speedy justice for the children as envisaged under POCSO.
The CSWO cited a recent instance when an investigation officer took time to send the plea for statement of the victim to the court and in the meantime, the perpetrator moved for bail.