Our Special Correspondent
TURA:
The court of the special judge dealing with Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) cases in West Garo Hills and the district sessions court, handed out separate long-term rigorous imprisonment and fines to two rape accused involved in sexually assaulting a minor and a woman a few years ago.
The POCSO Court in Tura on June 27 found Rasthy A Sangma guilty of raping a minor and sentenced him to twenty years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 25,000. He is to spend an additional six months in prison if he defaults in payment of the fine, ordered the court.
The accused person was arrested in 2020 for sexually assaulting a minor for a year at his home and was arrested by Tura police.
He has also been charge-sheeted in another sexual assault case in 2021 for which the accused is currently standing trial.
In separate sentencing, another rape accused, Beatbeat Ch Marak, has been given two sentences for rape and threat by the district sessions court in Tura.
The accused had committed the crime in October 2016 when the victim had gone to a jhum field to collect vegetables. He had also threatened the woman with dire consequences if she revealed the incident to anyone.
Accused Beatbeat was sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 in one case, while in another, two cases he was awarded two and one years of simple imprisonment.
In both the cases, woman police officers, woman police sub-inspectors, Salmey R Marak and Renu D Momin had meticulously conducted the investigation and submitted the chargesheets on time leading to the sentencing by the courts.
The West Garo Hills SP V S Rathore has lauded the investigation work of the woman officers and also appreciated and acknowledged the public prosecutors who led the prosecution and the good samaritans who came forward to help the police teams during the investigation process.