Bargarh: A court in Bargarh district Saturday found a 38-year-old man guilty of raping a mentally unsound minor girl a decade-and-a-half back and sentenced him to undergo 10 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI).
The Court of the Civil Judge (Senior Division), Women’s Court, Bargarh convicted the accused, Naren Naik, under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and POCSO act. The accused lured the minor victim, who had mental disability, to an isolated house on the pretext of offering chocolate and committed sexual assault.
He also threatened the victim against disclosure. The incident came to light after the victim was traced by family members, who later found her sexually assaulted, said prosecution counsel MB Tripathy.
Considering the gravity of the offence committed against a minor with mental disability, the court convicted the accused, reiterating the need for deterrence in crimes against women and vulnerable sections of society.
