One convicted for rape after 19 years
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 29 2018:
A 37 year old man has been convicted for kidnapping and raping a minor 19 years ago today.
Imphal Session Judge Maibam Manojkumar, Session passed the verdict today.
The convict is identified as Lourembam Dhiren (37) of Taothong Lamkhai (who had been on bail) and he has been sent to judicial custody till the sentence hearing on July 4 .
The order was announced today after the final hearing of the case on June 8 against the convict Lourembam Dhiren s/o Ibomcha of Taothong Lamkhai and six other co accused of the case (who have been acquitted) .
The incident occurred 19 years back at around 11.30 pm of June 17, 1999, when the convict along with 10 other associates went to the residence of the complainant (the father of the victim) and forcibly took away the then 15 years old girl.
The next day, the father of the convict along with two other individuals went to the victim's house and reported about the alleged elopement of girl with his son (the convict) the previous night and in response to the said "Haidokpa" the complainant told the convict's father to bring his daughter home and to arrange a marriage ceremony if his daughter is willing to marry the convict.
Accordingly, the girl was brought back the same day and when inquired, she revealed that the incident was not a case of elopement on mutual agreement adding that she was kidnapped by the convict with the help of 10 other persons and the convict had raped her as well.
The IO of the case, after completion of the investigation, submitted charge sheets against the convict and 6 other individuals under different sections of the IPC.
The then Judicial Magistrate First Class Imphal West had committed the case to then Session Judge Manipur West on September 21, 2012 and charges were framed against all the accused individuals as well as the convict for kidnap, rape and cheating.
Session Court Imphal West received the case record on January 16, 2015 after it was transferred from the Court of Session Judge Imphal after the creation of the Court.
The trial of the case began soon after the case was handed over to Session Court Imphal West and 12 prosecution witnesses gave their statements during the trial.
After completion of the examination of the prosecution witnesses, the convict was examined and he pleaded that he and the victim had a love affair and they eloped with full consent of the girl.
He also completely denied the statements of prosecution witnesses and produced one prosecution witness in his defense.
During the final hearing of the case, Additional PP A Nilachandra submitted that the prosecution in order to prove the case has examined 12 prosecution witnesses and the victim of the case has clearly deposed that she was kidnapped by the convict along with his friends from her house pretending to be members of an unlawful organization.
She was put inside an auto-rickshaw and taken to the house of auto-rickshaw owner.
The APP continued that the convict had raped her on the said night and that the statement of victim corroborated with the statement of her mother.
The Court also acquitted the co accused individuals of the case and fixed July 4 for the sentence hearing against the convict.
Soon after the judgment order was announced in the open Court, the convict was taken and sent to judicial custody at Sajiwa Central Jail.
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