Darjeeling court sentenced man to life imprisonment for minor girl molestation

A Darjeeling court today sentenced a 40-year-old man to life imprisonment along with a hefty fine after pronouncing him guilty of having molested a minor girl in February 2014.
Additional Sessions cum Special Judge Anupam Mukherjee found Ranvir Ekka (40) alias Rajesh of Bidhan Palli, Shiv Mandir in Siliguri guilty of molesting a minor in the afternoon of February 7, 2014. The accused has received life imprisonment along with a fine of Rs10,000, said public prosecutor Pranay Rai after the verdict was read out.
“The judge found the accused guilty and sentenced him to life term with a fine,” he said. According to the PP, the accused had molested the victim during lunch time at the terrace of a school located in Matigara. “The minor girl was thirsty and was searching for water when she met the accused, who was the school guard then. The accused took her to the terrace of the school
building and molested her after stuffing a handkerchief in her mouth to prevent her from raising an alarm. After the ordeal, the victim remained in a semiconscious state for quite some time,” Rai said.
The victim’s parents placed the matter with the school authorities and even lodged a police complaint at the Matigara police station. “The victim narrated her ordeal to her parents who lodged a police complaint. The accused was arrested on February 11, 2014,” the PP said.
After arresting Ekka, the police filed a charge sheet on March 22, 2014. But the accused was granted bail on September 29. The court examined 10 witnesses in the process and after the final hearing announced its verdict today. (EOIC)