7 years RI for rape convict
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 08 2023:
The Court of Additional Session Judge of (Fast Track Court) has sent a 40 year old rape convict to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000, today.
The same Court on November 17 had convicted Sounaojam Bocha, s/o (L) Iboton of Yumnam Khunou under Section 376 IPC and Section 419 IPC in a case dated June 5, 2012 that took place somewhere in Imphal West.
The Convict was produced before the Court for sentence hearing today to announce the quantum of punishment.
The Court heard the submission of Special PP A Sushila and defense counsel at length.
The Special PP submitted that the crime committed by the convict was heinous and deserve maximum punishment while the defense counsel prayed for minimum punishment.
The defense counsel also prayed to set off the period which the convict had spent during the investigation and trial of the case.
The Court after hearing the submission of Special PP, defense counsel and on perusal of the material on record sentenced the convict to seven years of rigorous imprisonment.
In default of payment of the fine, the convict has to undergo another three months of simple imprisonment, the Court ruled and set off the period which the convict had undergone in judicial custody from the sentence.
According to the report submitted by the prosecution, on June 8, 2012, a complaint was filed at Lamlai police station, stating that the victim left her house around 1.50 pm on June 5 to buy some clothes from Imphal.
However, she failed to return home even after 5 pm.
While the family was trying to locate her whereabouts, the victim's brother received a call around 9 pm informing that the girl was in the custody of Sharmila Kanba Lup, Salanthong.
On receiving the information, the family immediately rushed to Salanthong and met the Lup members, who informed them that they found the victim unconscious.
When the victim was questioned, she conveyed that she was on her way to Imphal when she met one Heikrujam Prem of Uripok.
Prem took her to a restaurant at Mantripukhri and made her drink a juice, following which she lost consciousness and he (Prem) sexually assaulted her without her consent.
When she regained her senses, she found herself in the Salanthong area without her gold necklace and earrings.
The victim's father tried to trace the whereabouts of the accused Heikrujam Prem but could not find him.
Based on the complaint, Lamlai PS registered a case and investigated the origin of Prem, whose real identity was found to be one Sounaojam Bocha, s/o (L) Iboton of Yumnam Khunou.