New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday (December 5) set aside an order of the Manipur High Court directing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to locate and produce an absconding rape convict – Timothy L Changsang, administrator of North Eastern Children Home – convicted under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for raping several minor girls at a children home he ran.
A bench comprising Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice N Kotiswar Singh set aside the High Court order on a plea filed by the CBI challenging the High Court order.
High Court order was unnecessary: Apex Court
The apex court, while stating that the order by the High Court was unnecessary, said that the request made by the CBI is genuine, particularly when the State of Manipur has constituted a special team in order to trace the absconding convict.
We find that request made by the CBI is genuine: Apex Court
“We find that request made by the CBI is genuine, particularly when the State of Manipur has constituted a special team in order to trace the convict. Therefore, we find that directions issued by high court to CBI was unnecessary. Therefore, the directions are set aside. However, it is necessary to observe that state will make all endeavours to trace the convict,” the apex court said while relieving the CBI of locating and producing thr absconding convict and added that if a request was made by the Manipur government to the Home Ministry in that regard, the Centre may ensure all assistance as required.
Timothy was charged with raping 14 minor girls for over two years since 2012 at the children home he ran
Timothy, who was the administrator of North Eastern Children Home, Rengkai village Churachandpur, was charged with raping 14 minor girls for over two years since 2012 at the children home and he was convicted by Special judge POCSO Imphal West Maibam Manojkumar under sections 6 and 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and under section 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on April 30, 2019. The court issued a non-bailable warrant to arrest Timothy but it returned unexecuted with the report that he could not be found in his house despite repeated searches.
The matter came to light after a minor girl lodged a complaint with the police in February 2015.
