Photo Courtesy: nenow
Imphal: A special court in Imphal West sentenced 32-year-old Ningthoujam Ramesh Singh to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment on Monday. Judge Yumkham Rother delivered the verdict for the sexual assault of a minor. The crime occurred in November 2021.
Singh, from Awang Wabagai Maning Leikai in Kakching, assaulted the girl at her family's rented home and in a Tata Dipper truck. Her father was away at the time. The victim's uncle reported the abuse to the Sekmai Police Station. Officers arrested Singh on November 19, 2021. Women Sub-Inspector Babita Thongram handled the investigation and filed a chargesheet in April 2022.
The trial saw the examination of 12 witnesses alongside 29 documents and 20 material exhibits. While the defense argued the state failed to prove the case, the prosecution pointed to the medical evidence. The court noted that the "conditions prescribed under Section 5(l) of the POCSO Act had been established" during the proceedings.
Singh pleaded not guilty but offered no defense witnesses. Judge Rother ordered the State government to pay the victim 3 lakh in compensation. The 20-year sentence includes time Singh already spent in custody during the investigation and trial process.
Comments