Manipur Court Awards 20 Years’ Rigorous Imprisonment to Repeat POCSO Convict
Imphal — A Special Judge of the Fast Track Special Court No. 1, Manipur, on Monday sentenced a 46-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a minor, marking the second such conviction against him.
The convict, Khaidem Bisembor alias Suresh Meitei of Nongdam Maning Leikai, was found guilty under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and additionally sentenced to one year’s rigorous imprisonment under Section 417 of the Indian Penal Code. Both sentences will run concurrently with a punishment previously awarded in a similar case.
The court also imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh, failing which the convict will undergo four months of simple imprisonment.
Case Background
The conviction followed a trial based on a complaint filed on October 12, 2019, by the mother of the victim, who was around seven years old at the time of the offence. The court observed that the accused lured the child to a house under construction on the pretext of accompaniment, where the crime was committed.
The accused was convicted on December 5 after the prosecution established the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
Compensation and Custody Set-Off
After hearing submissions from both the Special Public Prosecutor and the defence counsel, the court directed that the period the accused had already spent in judicial custody—from October 15, 2019, to October 8, 2021—be adjusted against the sentence.
The court further instructed the State Government to provide ₹1.5 lakh as compensation to the minor victim under the Victim Compensation Fund within one month. It recommended that the amount be deposited in a fixed deposit to safeguard the victim’s interest.
Previous Conviction
It may be recalled that on November 29, the same court had sentenced the accused to another 20-year term of imprisonment in a separate case involving sexual assault of a minor, underscoring the gravity of the offences.
