SHILLONG : East Khasi Hills Police have registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in connection with the alleged molestation of a minor girl at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS).
Police said the investigation is underway and a chargesheet will be filed within 60 days, subject to the evidence collected during the probe.
Speaking to reporters after meeting a delegation of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Monday, East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem said all legal procedures are being followed.
“The police have taken up the case under the POCSO Act. We are examining the case. Notice has been issued. The written statement will be recorded in court tomorrow, and other steps of investigation will be carried out. Once the investigation establishes the facts, we will come to a conclusion and submit it,” Syiem said.
The SP said the victim is a minor below the age of seven and that the law requires immediate action.
“The case involves a minor below seven years and mandates issuance of notice under Section 33 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS),” he said.
Syiem also said that the police will submit their findings to the NEIGRIHMS authorities for appropriate administrative action against the accused.
“We will also submit our report to the Head of Department of NEIGRIHMS regarding this incident, and it is for them to take a call on what to do with the accused. Nonetheless, the investigation will be fair and effective, and we will arrive at a conclusion after all the facts are gathered,” he said.
According to the SP, the matter has been classified as a special report case to ensure speedy investigation.
“The case is being treated as a special report case, and within a 60-day period we will file the chargesheet depending on the evidence gathered,” Syiem added.