Mizoram child panel demands maximum sentence for man accused of sexually abusing minor

The Mizoram State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) has called for the strictest legal action against a man arrested in connection with the sexual assault of a minor and the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The accused, Lalrampana, was taken into custody by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on June 9 following a cybercrime probe that uncovered disturbing evidence of child exploitation.

Speaking to reporters in Aizawl, MSCPCR chairperson Jimmy Laltlanmawia on Tuesday said, "MSCPCR expresses deep regret over the incident and demands stringent punishment against the accused". Jimmy said that the POCSO Act strictly prohibits sexual assault against children and possession or sharing online of child sex-related videos or pictures.

Any violator can be convicted with an imprisonment of 5 years and a fine of up to Rs. 10 lakh, and another 7 years imprisonment and Rs 10 lakh fine for repeated offence, he said.

Expressing regret over incidents of child sexual abuse in Mizoram, Jimmy said that the commission wants such incidents not to occur anymore in the state.

He said that there are currently 194 under-trial cases under the POCSO Act in various district courts across the state.
The CBI had tracked the activities of Lalrampana using cyber intelligence, forensic tools and international co-operation mechanisms.

After registering the case on May 30, the CBI pin-pointed his location and raided his premises in Aizawl on June 4 during which incriminated digital devices were seized.

The agency alleged that the accused was creating, collecting, storing and uploading child sexual abuse material (CSAM), in violation of laws.

Subsequent forensic examination revealed a substantial cache of child abuse content, including graphic images and videos, a CBI spokesperson had said earlier.

These materials were corroborated with data from Interpol's International Child Sexual Exploitation (ICSE) database as well as Cyber Tipline Reports (CTRs) generated by Google and shared with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (14C), Ministry of Home Affairs, he had said.

The analysis further uncovered that a minor had been threatened and sexually assaulted by the accused.

The case was detected suo motu by the CBI, as neither the victim nor the family had complained about the incident to any law enforcement agency prior to CBI's intervention, the CBI had said in a statement. (PTI)