Rape of 13 year old blind girl child Charge sheet likely within this month
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 21 2014 :
Due charge sheet in connection with the alleged rape of a 13 year old student of Government Ideal Blind School, Takyelpat would be submitted within the current month.
In addition, investigation is going on to find out whether the school authority and the Social Welfare officials had any intention to cover up the crime.
According to Section 21(2) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offence Act 2012, if there is any case of sexual assault within an institution and the institution does not report the matter to police or tries to conceal the assault, the head of the institution may be jailed for one year or fined.
Even as the Superintendent of the blind school complained on April 14 that a student had been molested by chowkidar Him Bahadur Thapa alias Khansa, neither the school authority nor Social Welfare Department filed any complaint with the police.
Ideal Blind School Superintendent H Lalit told The Sangai Express that he received a complaint from the student union on April 14 saying that a student had been molested by Him Bahadur Thapa.
Immediately, the matter was confirmed from the victim.
Then the matter was reported to Headmistress W Binakumari on April 15.Together with the complaint submitted by the student union, a report was sent to the Social Welfare Director on the same day.
However, in spite of the report, the school authority did not file any complaint to police although the Social Welfare Director gave assurance for a departmental enquiry.
Although chowkidar Him Bahadur Thapa was said to be kept under suspension, he was still working in the school which infuriated the student union.
At the initiative of the student union and senior student, this reporter had a face to face meeting with the victim and she said that she was raped.
A report on this disclosure was already published on June 10 .
Based on this news report, Lamphel Police took up a case.
According to a source, the then Social Welfare Director L Ibobi was informed about the molestation of a student but the Director did not report the matter to police.
The rape case was reported in media two months after the crime was committed.
Subsequently, Headmistress W Binakumari and Social Welfare Director L Ibobi were suspended by an order issued by the Deputy Secretary, Department of Personnel.
Advocate Basantakumar Wareppa said that all criminal laws treat all accused as innocent until they are proved to be guilty.
But under Protection of Children from Sexual Offence Act 2012, the accused must prove that he is not guilty.