Three get 10 years in jail for rape of three minors in Ri-Bhoi
Our Bureau
SHILLONG/ NONGPOH, Aug 28: The Court of the Special Judge (POCSO), East Khasi Hills, has convicted BSF personnel Kamal Kumar Thapa under various charges, including the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and sentenced him to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the sexual assault of a minor committed in 2013.
Delivering the verdict on Thursday, Special Judge (POCSO) MK Lyngdoh imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 under Section 6 of the POCSO Act. In case of failure to pay the fine, the convict will undergo an additional six months of imprisonment, the order said.
In addition, Thapa was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and fined Rs 10,000 under Section 328 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and another five years’ imprisonment with a fine of Rs 10,000 under Section 366A IPC.
The court directed that all sentences will run concurrently.
The Special Judge (POCSO) also recommended a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to be provided to the survivor by the Meghalaya State Legal Services Authority, Shillong.
The FIR was lodged by the survivor’s aunt at Rynjah Police Station in 2013. At the time of the incident, the survivor was under 14 years of age, while the accused was approximately 35 years old.
The prosecution was conducted by Special Public Prosecutor Eva Rynjah.
In another case, the Court of the Special Judge (POCSO), Nongpoh, convicted three persons — Mawri Ksing, Sbishon Songthiang and Bron Prang — for sexually assaulting three children in 2017. According to police, the incident occurred on June 28, 2017, when the three accused, after consuming alcohol, sexually assaulted the minors.
Based on a complaint, Nongpoh Police registered a case under Sections 448/376D/511/354A of the IPC read with Sections 9(g)/10 of the POCSO Act.
The investigation was entrusted to Sub-Inspector E. Khardewsaw, who filed the chargesheet on October 23, 2017.
After trial, the court found the trio guilty and awarded the following sentences: ten years’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 20,000 for attempted gang rape, six months’ simple imprisonment for house trespass, two years’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000 for sexual harassment, and six years’ rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 10,000 for aggravated sexual assault, with all sentences to run concurrently.