HC asks State to take over children home
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 17 2021:
The High Court of Manipur has directed the Principal Secretary (Home) to let Social Welfare Department run a children home which was set up and administered by a man who was convicted by the Special Judge (POCSO), Imphal West in 2019 and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life in connection with a sexual assault case.
But the convict identified as Timothy Lalhmunmawi Changsan has been absconding till date.
Timothy Lalhmunmawi Changsan was running the North East Children Home (NECH) at Bethlehem Veng, Rengkai, Churachandpur.
An order passed by the Special Judge (POCSO), Imphal West in 2019 asked NECH administrator Timothy Lalhmunmawi Changsan to surrender before the Court and also directed the authorities concerned to freeze the children home's bank account and attach three properties of NECH registered in the name of Timothy Lalhmunmawi Changsan.
NECH secretary Rody Lalmingmoi Hmar filed a writ petition and a criminal revision petition at the High Court of Manipur seeking re-activation of the children's home bank account and cancellation of the POCSO Court's order to attach three properties of NECH.
After hearing both the petitioner's counsel and the Public Prosecutor, Justice MV Muralidaran dismissed the writ petition as well as the criminal revision petition today.
Nonetheless, the High Court directed the Principal Secretary (Home) to take the children of NECH into his custody, convert NECH into a Government funded children home and let Social Welfare Department run it.
The order passed by Justice MV Muralidaran asked the Principal Secretary (Home) to submit a compliance report on April 19 .
The order further instructed the Principal Secretary (Home) and the Social Welfare Department to submit periodical reports about the inmates of the children home and their welfare every six months to the Court.