Former Meghalaya MLA jailed for 3 years for raping underage girl

(PTI) Shillong, Ta. 3

Former Meghalaya MLA Julius Dorfang has been sentenced to five years in prison for raping a minor girl. Julius Dorfang was sentenced by Special Judge FS Sangma of Pokso (Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses). In addition to the sentence, the former MLA has also been fined Rs 15 lakh.

Former MLA's lawyer Kishore CH Gauitam said he would challenge the verdict in the Meghalaya High Court. Julius Dorfang, the founding chairman of the rebel group Hinewattrap National Liberation Council, surrendered to police in 2006. He then became an MLA from Mavhati seat of Ribhoi district in 2012 as an independent.

He was accused of rape in 2012 when he was an MLA. The MLA absconded after the case was registered by the police. However, he was later arrested from an inter-state bus terminus on the outskirts of Guwahati, the capital of Assam.

The former MLA was charged under various sections of the Pokso Act Unethical Trafficking Prevention Act. He was lodged in Nongpoh District Jail. However, in 2020, a single judge bench of the Meghalaya High Court granted him bail in 2020 on the grounds of ill health.

The former MLA's lawyer further said that it is bad for everyone that Julius is not in good health. I will file an application seeking quashing of the sentence and bail.