Daijiworld Media Network – Shillong
Shillong, Jul 11: In a decade-old case, a POCSO special court in East Khasi Hills district has sentenced three men to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the repeated sexual assault of a minor girl.
The convicts – Raj Roy, Ashit Chanda, and Prasenjit Das – were found guilty of raping a 16-year-old girl in 2013. Special Judge MK Lyngdoh pronounced the verdict on Thursday, ordering each of them to undergo 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and pay a fine of Rs 50,000.
The case came to light in 2013 when the girl’s father lodged an FIR at Sadar Police Station in Shillong, alleging sexual assault on his daughter. The police had swiftly acted and arrested all three accused.
In addition to the sentence, the court also directed the Meghalaya State Legal Services Authority to provide a compensation of Rs 3 lac to the victim’s family.
The ruling has brought closure to the long-pending case and is seen as a strong message against crimes targeting minors.