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Meghalaya POCSO Courts Issue Lengthy Sentences in 2013 and 2017 Child-Sexual-Offence Cases

Special courts combined POCSO with IPC provisions, ordering concurrent terms, fines, compensation.

The special Pocso Court had convicted the man and his wife on August 29 (FILE PHOTO)
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The three accused, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, sexually assaulted three minors on June 28, 2017. (Representative photo)

Overview

  • On Aug 28, the Special POCSO Court in East Khasi Hills sentenced BSF personnel Kamal Kumar Thapa to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment for a 2013 assault on a minor, with a ₹50,000 fine under Section 6 of the POCSO Act.
  • The court imposed concurrent five-year terms under IPC Sections 328 and 366A with ₹10,000 fines each, and recommended ₹5 lakh compensation to the survivor via the Meghalaya State Legal Services Authority.
  • On Aug 29 in Ri Bhoi district, a Special POCSO Court sentenced Mawri Ksing, Sbishon Songthiang, and Bron Prang to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and a ₹20,000 fine each for attempted gang rape related to assaults on June 28, 2017.
  • The Ri Bhoi court also ordered six months for house trespass (IPC 448), two years plus ₹1,000 for sexual harassment (IPC 354A), and six years plus ₹10,000 for aggravated sexual assault (POCSO 9(g), 10), with all terms to run concurrently following an investigation that produced a chargesheet on Oct 23, 2017.
  • In a separate East Khasi Hills case, Special Judge R. Rymbai convicted Wanbhabok Kharlartang under Section 4 of the POCSO Act and sentenced him to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment with a ₹30,000 fine.