3 accused remanded
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 06 2017: Special Court POCSO Imphal East remanded three women, including the victim's mother who had allegedly sold her minor daughter for Rs 50,000, to Judicial custody till September 19 .

The three accused women, namely the victim's mother and other accomplices identified as Takhellambam Chaobi (64) w/o (L) Tomba of Nongmeibung Chakpram Leikai and Lembi alias Mumtaj (37) w/o Md Najir Ahamad of Sanathel Litanmakhong (at present Konung Mamang Pureiromba Leikai), were produced before the Special Court POCSO Imphal East, by a team of Imphal East women police with a prayer for Judicial remand under the Juvenile Justice Act and Section 4 of POCSO Act, 2012 .

On the other hand, counsels of the three women filed different bail applications objecting the Judicial remand .

The APP of the State submitted that the victim has been proven to be a minor as per the certificate issued by her school and supported by the photocopy of the register of attendance of class VI of the year 2012.APP further submitted that the accused individuals have already been in police custody for 12 days but the investigation is in its nascent stage and the main accused of the case, Md Majahar (50) of Mayang Imphal Irong (at present Babupara) is still absconding .

The defense counsel of the victim's mother submitted that the victim is 19 years of age and submitted the horoscope of the victim.

The Court decided that examination of the Headmaster of the school where the victim studies, is needed and directed the IO of the case to instruct the Headmaster to appear before the Court on September 11 to give his statement in connection with the certificate issued by him .

The Court further directed the IO to inform the Headmaster to bring all records which include admission records and attendance record of the school concerning the victim .

The defense counsel of Lembi alias Mumtaj also submitted that the surname of the victim mentioned in the remand prayer is different from the certificate of the school .

The victim's mother stated that her daughter is known by the two different names mentioned in the school certificates and the remand prayer.

After the hearing, the Court remanded the three women to Judicial custody till September 19 .

It may be mentioned that the victim was rescued by a team of Imphal East women police along with Child Line Imphal, after she was allegedly sold by her mother in collusion with Takhellambam Chaobi, Lembi and her husband Najir Ahemad, to the main accused Md Majahar on August 21 for a sum of Rs 50,000 at the residence of Najir Ahmad .

On examination of the victim girl by the police, she revealed that she was forcibly raped at a Muslim hotel located at Hatta on the same day by the main accused and the next day, August 22, she was taken to the residence of the accused at Mayang Imphal Irong.

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