Shillong: A rape-accused former militant-turned-legislator of Meghalaya, Julius Kitbok Dorphang, who is under trial for alleged repeated sexual violence on a minor girl, has been directed by the Meghalaya High Court to appear before the Trial Court of the Special Judge (POCSO), Ri-Bhoi District, Nongpoh on June 28, 2021.
Dorphang was arrested from an inter-state bus terminus (ISBT) at Gorchuk in Assam’s main city of Guwahati in 2017 for allegedly raping a minor girl.
Keeping in mind the importance of the trial to be completed at the earliest and also the fact that the accused has not willfully absconded or is not to be found, but is willing to appear before the Trial Court, the High Court also directed the Special Judge (POCSO), Ri-Bhoi District, Nongpoh to recall the NBWA issued against the accused for not having appeared before the Court “intermittently” on a number of occasions.
Noting that in course of hearing, the parties have mutually consented that for ends of justice, so as not to prolong the trial and considering the fact that the matter is at the “fag end of its conclusion requiring only the argument of the accused”, the High Court directed the Trial Court to proceed with the hearing on the undertaking of the accused or his counsel that he will definitely appear on the next date fixed for hearing.
