Dimapur, July 24 (MExN): A special court here has sentenced a 33-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the repeated sexual assault of his 13-year-old step-daughter, in a case that also saw the convict abscond for over four years before being re-arrested.
The Fast Track Special Court (FTSC) in Dimapur convicted Lanuchuchang Walling, currently residing at Dobagaon, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The judgment and sentence were pronounced in open court on July 22 by Special Judge (POCSO) Khesheli Chishi, following the accused's re-arrest on July 13.
The Court awarded Walling 20 years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 376(3) IPC and an equal term under Section 6 of the POCSO Act, along with a fine of Rs 5,000 each, and default simple imprisonment of six months. He was also sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 376(2)(F)(i)(n) IPC. All these sentences will run concurrently.
Further, the court sentenced the accused to six months of Simple Imprisonment under Section 229A IPC for failing to appear before the court while on bail, thereby delaying the trial. This sentence will run consecutively. Additionally, the court ordered the forfeiture of his Rs 1,00,000 bail bond to the state exchequer, to be deposited within one month.
The case originated from a complaint lodged on June 8, 2021, at the Women Police Station in Dimapur. The victim, then a Class VIII student, disclosed that her step-father had repeatedly subjected her to sexual assault in the absence of her mother. A medical examination later confirmed that she was carrying a fetus of about 20 to 22 weeks at the time of the FIR.
The trial, initially presided over by Rtd. Special Judge (POCSO) Khrulto Koso, saw the accused being granted ad-interim bail on March 16, 2022. However, he later went into hiding during the pendency of the judgment. He was traced and re-arrested by the Investigating Officer, SI Tajungsangla, from his new rented house at Dobagaon, Dimapur, on July 13, 2026. The court subsequently remanded him to custody to undergo the sentence.
The court, while recording its findings, observed that the accused had occupied a position of trust and had gravely betrayed it by exploiting the victim’s vulnerability, finding his conduct wholly undeserving of leniency.
Special Public Prosecutor Imlimongla, who issued the details of the conviction, said, “The successful re-arrest after 4 years reflects the diligence and perseverance of the IO, in ensuring that the due process of law could proceed.”
The case, registered as Special Court Case No. 012/21 (corresponding to DMR WN P.S. C/No. 012/21 and G.R. No. 277/2021), reaffirms the resolve of the justice system to deal firmly with offences against children and to ensure that the process of law is not defeated, the prosecutor added.
