Child rapist sentenced to life imprisionment

Source: Screen grab of "The Himal World"

KalimNews, Kalimpong, 29 June 2022: A child rapist is sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment for raping a 10 year old child in 2021. A special court announced the sentence on 29 June 2022 under the U/s 6 of the POCSO Act, 2012 with Sec. 376-AB of IPC. 

The court order stated "sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for life and to pay fine of Rs. 30,000/- i/d to suffer rigorous imprisonment for a term of 2 years for the offence of aggravated penetrative sexual assault punishable u/s 6 of POCSO Act, 2012 and also to suffer rigorous imprisonment for life and to pay fine of Rs. 30,000/- in default to suffer rigorous imprisonment for a term of 2 year for the offence punishable u/s 376-AB of IPC. The said punishment shall run concurrently and the period of detention undergone by the convict is to be set off against the sentence of imprisonment passed against him as per section 428 Cr.P.C. If the fine amount is realized the same would be paid to the victim girl by way of compensation."

For the victim girl the court ordered compensation stating " The victim girl is also entitled to get compensation as per section 357A of the Cr.P.C. and this court recommends to that effect and the Ld. Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority, Kalimpong is requested to decide the quantum of compensation to be awarded to the victim girl as per the provisions of the West Bengal Victim Compensation Scheme 2017, as expeditiously as possible and such compensation will also be paid to the victim girl by the DLSA, Kalimpong as per the said Scheme."

However the convict wanted to get Legal Aid to prefer an appeal before the Hon’ble High Court, Calcutta against this Judgment. 

The heinous crime was committed on 24 July 2021 by Bhim Rai who forcibly raped a 10 year old tribal girl of a village near Kalimpong Sikkim border. It was also alleged that Rai had sexually assaulted her two years ago. The case was registered on 27 July 2021 in Kalimpong Police Station. There was a public demonstration against the crime in Kalimpong on 2 August. After a year of prosecution and hearing about 21 witnesses with enough investigation, the judgement was given by a special court of Kalimpong District Court.

Constant support of the investigation officer SI Shanti Lama, to the child along with the immense assistance and guidance she received from child counsellors of Childline, Kalimpong and a particular Children’s home in Kalimpong has ensured that the child is slowly recovering from the trauma. 

Within a year since the incident the trial has concluded and judgement passed by the Learned Special Court, Kalimpong. 

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