The court of Special Judge, Thoubal A Noutuneshwari Devi on Wednesday awarded death sentence to a man convicted of rape, murder of his pregnant girlfriend and causing death of his own unborn child. This was the third time a death sentence was awarded to a convict by the judge in connection with crimes against women.
On Monday, the special judge had announced the conviction of Irom Chaoren Singh, 30, son of Irom Biren of Leishangthem Khongmanung, Thoubal district in connection with rape, murder of a 23-year- old pregnant woman of Thoubal district and causing death of the unborn child in June 18, 2010. Chaoren has been convicted of killing her by strangulation and submerging the body into the Imphal River at Chongtham Konna Meitei Leikai. Choaren was convicted under section 376/302/316 IPC.
The court while considering the nature of the case stated that the type of such case falls under the category of the rarest of rare and as such, there is no mitigating factor to deter in other alternative punishment. Therefore, the maximum punishment should be awarded and it should be an eye opener for the society at large in order to prevent such brutal and heinous crime in the society, the court stated.
Hence, the convict Irom Chaoren Singh is sentenced to death with a fine of Rs 50, 000 and should be hanged till death, the court stated.
The court has directed to give the fine amount to the mother of the victim. Further, the court has recommended for awarding compensation under section 357-A (2) CrPC as per NALSA’s compensation scheme for women victims/survivors of sexual assault/other crimes-2018 and a sum of Rs 10 lakh to the victim’s brother by district legal services authority, Thoubal within a period of 60 days.
The court verdict stated that the convict had played his girlfriend like an object and not as a human being. He not only raped and murdered her but also killed his own unborn child, it stated. As such crime is so brutal and shocking to the conscience of womanhood, sympathy would be misplaced, and it would lose confidence of the society at large in the administration of the criminal justice system, the court stated.
The court should respond to the cry of the society, and the incident made the entire society on its heels and it is a burning incident which cannot be ignored, it stated. The court should respond and settle with what would be considered a deterrent punishment for what was apparently an abominable crime, it stated. It further stated that this case is categorised as rarest of rare as the crime committed by the convict is so inhuman, barbaric and merciless and his intention and motive was beyond the thoughts of a rational human being. Such cruelty and inhuman acts deserve to be wiped out and there is no mitigating factor to deter in other alternative punishment, the court stated on judgment.
On June 26, 2010 the deceased family lodged a complaint stating that the victim had gone out to meet her boyfriend Chaoren at Thoubal bazar but gone missing afterwards. The police registered a case under section 368/302 IPC read with section 120-B/376 IPC, as the complainant raised suspicions that the body could have been kept concealed after killing her.
Subsequently, Police arrested the accused Chaoren on June 26 and the body was fished out from the Imphal river at Chongtham Konna Meitei Leikai.
Police investigation said, the convict disclosed that as per a plan, he eloped the lady and they stayed together in a house near the river. At around 7 pm of June 18 2010, they came out from the house near the river bank, and he killed her by strangling her neck with his shirt, he stated. He also named one Loitongbam Ibomcha alias Jugeshwor of allegedly raping her. However, the court released Ibomcha as there was no sufficient evidence against him.
The police submitted the charge sheet under section 120-B/304/302/201 IPC on January 13, 2017 against Irom Chaoren and Loitongbam Ibomcha under section 120-B/302/201/376 IPC. As charges were framed against them, another accused person, Ibemcha Devi of Yairipok was discharged from liability of the case.
Further, the police submitted another charge sheet against Irom Chaoren under section 376 IPC in a separate sheet on December 4. The court had examined 20 prosecution witnesses during the trial.
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