AALO, 9 Apr: The district & sessions court here in West Siang district has convicted one Martin Bagra and sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI), besides imposing a fine of Rs 50,000, for the offence of rape, punishable under Section 376 IPC.
In default of payment of the fine, the convict will have to undergo another six months of simple imprisonment.
The court of Sessions Judge Goto Mega held Bagra guilty for offences under Sections 376 (1)/506 IPC, vide judgment dated 16 March, 2021.
The order says that “the offence committed by the convict has had a horrendous impact on the victim’s life forever and the pain, agony and trauma suffered by the survivor rape victim is beyond imagination. The convict’s unrestricted liberty and freedom poses threat to the safety and security of women in a civilized society. It is considered rational if he is confined to the four walls of jail not only to instill confidence of the people in the rule of law but to enable the convict to reform himself. The convict has not only demolished aspiration of the victim as a fostered daughter but also snatched her desire to live in the society with self-respect, dignity and without social stigma.”
The convict was brought from the district jail in Jully in Papum Pare by the jail authority to enable him to participate in the sentence hearing here.
As per previous reports, in September 2015, an 18-year-old student had lodged a complaint at the Aalo police station, stating that Martin Bagra had invited her to his home as she and his sister were friends, and then raped her at gunpoint.
He also had a case of domestic violence against him at the state women’s commission. (With DIPRO inputs)
