A Fast Track Court in Kolasib has sentenced a 42-year-old woman to 12 years’ imprisonment for repeatedly trafficking her minor daughter for sexual exploitation in exchange for money and alcohol.
The judgment was delivered by Fast Track Court Judge R. Vanlalena, who found the woman, identified as Lalbiakengi of Kawnpui, guilty after examining witness testimonies and documentary evidence presented during the trial. The case came to light after a woman lodged a First Information Report (FIR) at Kawnpui Police Station on August 5, 2024, alleging that the victim’s biological mother had repeatedly forced her underage daughter into sexual exploitation between January 2023 and July 2024 in exchange for cash and alcohol.
Police launched an investigation and arrested Lalbiakengi along with Indra Bahadur Bandhari Chhetri, an 80-year-old resident of the Kutbul area near Kawnpui, who was also named as an accused in the case. The investigation found that Lalbiakengi had allegedly sent the minor girl to truck drivers and railway construction workers from outside the state on multiple occasions, receiving around ₹500 and alcohol in return.
During the trial, the Fast Track Court examined seven witnesses, including the survivor. The court also considered the medical report, the FIR, statements of the complainant, the investigating officer, and other prosecution witnesses before convicting the accused. The court sentenced Lalbiakengi to five years’ imprisonment under Section 96 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and another five years under Section 98 of the BNS. She was also sentenced to two years’ imprisonment under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act for providing alcohol to a minor.
The sentences will run consecutively, bringing the total prison term to 12 years. The court also imposed a fine of ₹15,000. In default of payment, she will have to undergo an additional six months’ imprisonment. Proceedings against co-accused Indra Bahadur Bandhari Chhetri were closed following his death on February 3, 2025.
