Baripada: A court in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district Wednesday sentenced a man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a minor girl three years ago.
The sentence was pronounced by the Fast Track Special Court Judge Santosh Kumar Nayak. Rauta Purty (57) was held guilty under section 6 of the POCSO Act for raping a 13-year-old girl, said Special Public Prosecutor Manaranajan Pattnaik.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the convict. The court also directed Mayurbhanj District Legal Services Authority to pay Rs 3 lakhs as compensation to the survivor, Pattnaik said.
According to the prosecution, the incident took place on December 8, 2022, when the girl had gone to the nearby forest to collect firewood. Finding her alone, Purty raped her.
The family member of the girl lodged an FIR at Sarat Police Station, and the accused was arrested under several sections of the IPC and POCSO Act.
The judgment was based on the statement of the girl, ten witnesses, and the medical report, said the special public prosecutor.
PTI
