Determine health condition of victim raped by former MLA : HC to Meghalaya govt

Meghalaya High Court has directed the state government to file an additional report on the health condition of a woman who was repeatedly raped allegedly by a militant-turned-politician in 2016.A division bench of the High Court during a hearing on Monday observed that the overall health of the 20-year-old survivor be determined and counseling provided for her career.In particular, the psychiatric and psychological aspects should be dealt with by experts in view of the trauma that the survivor went through.


PTI | Shillong | Updated: 05-07-2022 12:20 IST | Created: 05-07-2022 12:14 IST
Determine health condition of victim raped by former MLA : HC to Meghalaya govt
Meghalaya High Court Image Credit: Wikipedia
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Meghalaya High Court has directed the state government to file an additional report on the health condition of a woman who was repeatedly raped allegedly by a militant-turned-politician in 2016.

A division bench of the High Court during a hearing on Monday observed that the overall health of the 20-year-old survivor be determined and counseling provided for her career.

“In particular, the psychiatric and psychological aspects should be dealt with by experts given the trauma that the survivor went through. It is also essential that the survivor be counseled as to her career since, despite the survivor being under the care of the Child Welfare Committee, it is reported that she was not interested in studies after completing her Class 6,” the court order said.

On being informed by the state counsel that the victim is still being looked after by the Child Welfare Committee, the court pointed out that the survivor has to be made self-sufficient to allow her to be able to survive, support herself, and live with dignity.

The bench said that the quantum of compensation will be assessed upon the conclusion of the appeal. ''A further report as to the present condition of the survivor should be filed by the state,” it said adding the matter will come up again for hearing four weeks later.

Months after the crime, the chairperson of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights had filed a complaint to the superintendent of police of East Khasi Hills district here in 2016 alleging that the politician Julias K Dorphang, the former chairman of the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) and ex MLA of Mawhati raped the victim who was then a minor girl.

The complaint was considered an FIR and cases were registered against Dorphang under various sections of the IPC and POCSO Act.

Another complaint was filed with the police by the chairperson of the state body again in January 2017 alleging that Dorphang had committed the same offense against the same person in Ri Bhoi district and a criminal case was registered against him in Umiam police station.

On registration of the two cases against him, Dorphang went absconding but was arrested a few days later from Hatigaon in Guwahati.

While he was out on bail for some time, a POCSO Court at Nongpoh in Meghalaya convicted him in August 2021 and awarded him a prison term of 25 years. Dorphang was immediately re-arrested and sent to jail.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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