By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, MAR 7: Meghalaya home minister HDR Lyngdoh today claimed that a 14-year-old girl was not raped in a guest house owned by his son while asserting that he never interfered in the investigation with regards to the case of the minor.
“It is not a fact that the rape committed by an MLA happened in the guest house,” Lyngdoh told the Assembly.
He was replying to a special motion on the increasing atrocities against women and children on the third day of the Budget Session.
The home minister also asserted that he had “not interfered” in the investigation process in relation to the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl.
At the same time, he claimed that the police were given a “free hand” to deal with the case.
This he said after the Opposition Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) demanded his resignation to ensure a free and fair investigation into the alleged trafficking and rape of the minor girl.
“I appeal to the Home Minister to step down to ensure an impartial investigation into the matter and to ensure justice to the victim,” HSPDP chief Ardent M Basaiawmoit said.
Basaiawmoit pointed out that former governor V Shanumganathan had resigned from his post after he was accused of turning the “Raj Bhavan into young ladies club” as claimed by staffers of the raj bhavan in their petition to the President and Prime Minister.
However, asserting that he is the home minister and not a watch dog, Lyngdoh said crimes could happen anywhere as nobody could predict. He said efforts were being taken to combat such crimes.
“Therefore, it is very wrong to say that I should step down as I have done no wrong,” he said while assuring that if anybody was found to have committed any wrong even though they were his kin, stern action would be initiated.
Moreover, the home minister said police had taken “swift action” after receiving a complaint against arrested MLA Julius Dorphang for allegedly raping a minor and the state government had never interfered into the matter.
Informing that investigation into the case was on, the home minister assured that the investigation would be expedited not only on this particular case but all the cases related to crimes against women and children in the state.
Earlier, while expressing concern on the issue, Basaiawmoit said that there were around 1,248 cases related to crimes against women which were pending in various courts in Meghalaya.
As per data from the Law Department, while the general cases of crime against women pending before courts are 636, the number of pending rape cases is 612, he said.
According to Basaiawmoit, out of 646 rape cases registered, only 33 were disposed of by the courts, and out of 915 general cases on crimes against women, 279 were disposed of.
+ There are no comments
Add yours