Aizawl: A circuit court in central Mizoram’s Serchhip district has sentenced a man to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a minor, court sources said on Friday.Additional district and sessions judge Julie Lalrinzami convicted R T Lalhlimpuia, a resident of Thenzawl town, on July 17 under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso ) Act, 2012. The sentence was pronounced on Thursday.The court also imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 and ordered that Lalhlimpuia would have to serve an additional year in prison if he failed to pay it.Lalhlimpuia is also facing trial in another rape case involving a minor girl. The case is pending in the court.As a permanent sessions court has yet to be sanctioned for Serchhip, the circuit court conducts proceedings both through videoconferencing and in physical mode.The circuit court disposed of 84 cases — 74 criminal and 10 civil — between January and July this year. Another 85 cases are pending.
