Meghalaya ex-MLA guilty of rape, gets 25 years sentence

Julius Dorphang, former legislator of Meghalaya has been sentenced to 25 years and a fine of Rs 15 lakh, being found guilty of raping a girl in 2017. Dorphang was a Member of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly when he committed the offence.

Dorphong is also the founder Chairperson of Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), an insurgent group. Dorphang surrendered to the authorities in 2017and successfully contested the Legislative Assembly seat from Mawhati constituency as an independent candidate in 2013.

Special Judge Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Febroneous Silkam Sangma announced the sentence early this week.

The court also found Darisha Mary Kharbamon, Mamoni Parveen and her husband Sandeep Biswa guilty of getting the girl for the crime and inducing her to prostitution. All the three have been sentenced to life imprisonment as well as a fine of Rs 1 lakh each.

Dorphang was arrested on the basis of a complaint lodged against him by the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) with the East Khasi Hills district police in December 2016, alleging his involvement in crime against a minor.

The SCPCR had filed another complaint in Ri-Bhoi, in January 2017, alleging that Dorphang had committed a similar offence against the same minor at a resort in the district.

On the basis of the complaints, two separate cases were registered against Dorphang, following which he went missing, but was arrested from a bus terminus in Assam.

Dorphang was convicted and sentenced by the POCSO court in the case filed against him on January 5, 2017.

The trial in connection with the other case is underway at a special court in Jowai.

Dorphang was lodged at the Nongpoh district jail since his arrest before the high court granted him bail on medical grounds last year.