Manipur Court Sentences Man to 20 Years in Jail for Sexually Assaulting Four-Year-Old Girl

Imphal:A fast track court inManipurhas sentenced a 54-year-old man to 20 years in jail for the sexual assault of a four-year-old girl in 2017.The convicted man, Thounaojam Tejkumar Singh of Imphal East, was found guilty under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, which pertains to aggravated penetrative sexual assault.In addition to the jail time, the court ordered him to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh.In his order, delivered by Judge W. Tonen Meitei, the court emphasized the profound damage caused by the crime.“Rape and sexual assault destroy not only the physical being of a child but her spirit, innocence, and dignity. The judiciary must stand as the guardian of that innocence,”Judge Meiteistated.He further termed the act as “a crime against humanity,” stressing that “a child of four years was violated by one who was supposed to protect her.”The court dismissed the defense’s argument that Tejkumar Singh was falsely accused due to family disputes, affirming that “minor procedural lapses cannot erase the powerful truth of a child’s voice.”The crime occurred on the evening of October 8, 2017. According to the prosecution, Tejkumar Singh took the girl away during a family feast.When the child returned home crying and spoke of pain, the assault was revealed. Injuries consistent with sexual assault were confirmed by medical examinations at JNIMS and later RIMS hospitals.Following a complaint from the girl’s father, Tejkumar Singh was arrested the following day by the Women Police Station, Imphal East.During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence from 11 witnesses, including the victim herself. The girl, who testified before the court when she was seven, bravely identified her rapist. Her statement was unchallenged, as the defense opted not to cross-examine her.Related