The Special Judge, POCSO, Imphal West on Thursday remanded three accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting of a 16-year-old girl have been sent to eight-day judicial custody till December 29.
The three accused are identified as Soram Kenedy Singh (31), son of S Chinglen Singh of Mayang Langjing Taning Awang Leikai, Imphal West; Chonjonbam Ranjan Singh (25), son of Ch Rajen Singh Phumlou Siphai Maning Leikai, Imphal West and Chonjonbam Sanathoi Singh (24), son of Ch Bihari Singh of Phumlou Siphai Maning Leikai, Imphal West.
The accused were produced before the court after completion of police custody.
The three were accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting the minor on December 17 when she went out of her house to buy a pen.
According to the victim's statement, she was forcefully raped by one Rohit and one of his friends in the back seat of a moving car. They took her to many places and abandoned her at a place in Imphal West district, threatening dire consequences if she disclosed it to anyone, on the same night of kidnapping her.
A police interrogation report stated that on the day of occurrence of the crime, accused Kennedy organised a party at a wine vendor located at Khurkhul along with two of his friends where they consumed alcohol. Then, one of his friends, Ranjan requested Sanathoi to arrange a girlfriend whereupon Sanathoi forwarded the mobile of the victim girl to accused Ranjan. Then, Ranjan called up to the victim girl introducing himself as "Rohit" and requested to wait at her locality to meet him. Then, they drove towards Khonghampat to pick up the girl who was waiting near her house. She boarded the car and was made to sit at the back, near accused Kennedy and Ranjan and while Sanathoi was driving, the other two committed the crime.
Police on judicial prayer report stated that they committed sexual assault on the minor. The court, after perusal of the material submitted by public prosecutor and counsels, remanded them to eight days judicial custody for further investigation.
Further, another accused has also been remanded to eight-day judicial custody till December 29 in connection with a sexual assault case on a four-year-old.
The accused Ahongsangbam Naobi Singh (40), son of A Khelendro Singh of Khongjom Khebaching, Thoubal district was remanded into police custody. After completion of police custody, police produced him before the court with a prayer of judicial custody for 15 days.
While in police custody, he admitted to the crime and revealed that on December 16, he let the victim minor girl watch his mobile phone on his bed and he committed penetrative sexual assault.
From the submissions of both parties and on perusal of the materials on record, the court stated that at the stage of investigation there are sufficient materials to presume that the accused person had committed the alleged offence. Moreover, the investigation is at an early stage, so he was remanded into judicial custody.
