Rape accused convicted
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 27 2018: Maibam Manoj Kumar, Special Judge POCSO Imphal East convicted 28 year old Langpoklakpam Kiranjit under section 10 of Prevention of Children from Sexual Offence Act 2012, today, and fixed June 30 for the sentence hearing of the convict.

The judgment order of the special POCSO trial case against the convict Langpoklakpam Kiranjit alias Ipec (28) s/o Kumar of Kadangband Part I, was announced today in an open Court after the final hearing of the case was held on May 29.The convict was produced before the Court for the announcement of the judgment from judicial custody remand at Sajiwa Central Jail.

The case began against the convict from October 2014 after the mother of the minor victim lodged a complaint to Women PS Imphal West claiming that on October 2, 2014, at around noon, her minor daughter was allegedly raped by the convict at her (the complainant) father in law's house while she was working in the paddy field.

She came to know about the incident the same day after her daughter began complaining about pain in her private parts when she returned home.

After completion of the investigation by the 10 of the case, the then SI Soram Renubala of Women PS Imphal West, a charge sheet was submitted against the convict in April 2015.The charged was farmed against the convict on December 16, 2015, and the statement of the first prosecution witness of the case (the minor victim) was recorded by the Court.

Altogether 11 prosecution witnesses were recorded by the Court during the three year trial.

During the argument hearing of the case, the Court heard the Special PP, A Nilachandra and the counsel of convict, A Abhi.

The Special PP contended that the prosecution has produced 11 prosecution witnesses and five of them have stated that the convict is working as a jugali/labourer.

The Special PP also submitted that the victim girl clearly deposed that the convict touched her private parts, lips and asked her not to tell anyone, about the incident.

These statements matched that of the victim's mother as well as that of the doctor who examined the victim.

On the other hand, the defense counsel of the convict contended that there are many contradictions in the statements of the prosecution witnesses.

After hearing the Special PP and the defense counsel of convict at length and based on the result of the discussion and observation, the Court came to the conclusion that convict committed penetrative sexual assault against the victim girl.

However, the prosecution also proved that the convict committed sexual assault only by touching the victim's the private parts and lips and therefore, as such sexual assault committed by the convict amount to aggravated sexual assault and thus convicted him under section 10 of POCSO Act 2012 and fixed June 30 for the quantum of punishment.

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