Keonjhar/Balasore: A fast-track court in Keonjhar district Monday sentenced a youth to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) after convicting him for rape of a 12-year-old girl in 2021.
The convicted youth was identified as Mantri Sardar, 29. Judge, Bijay Kumar Mishra also slapped a fine of Rs20,000 on the convict apart from the punishment.
In case of default, Sardar has to undergo an additional six months of rigorous imprisonment. The fast track court pronounced the order based on the statements recorded by 15 witnesses and police investigation report, special public prosecutor Gyanendranath Jena said.
He also said that the court has recommended the district legal services authority (DLSA) to provide assistance of Rs5 lakh to the survivor. According to the case diary, Sardar barged into the house of the survivor when she was alone and kidnapped her to an isolated place September 27, 2021.
Later, he raped her several times. Unable to trace his daughter, the girl’s father lodged a missing complaint at the Sadar police station.
Sadar police rescued the girl from the clutches of Sardar after two days. The girl was taken for interrogation where she confirmed that she was raped by the youth.
Based on her statement, police arrested Sardar and produced him in the court under Section 6 of POCSO Act. In another case, Special POCSO Judge Ranjan Kumar Sutar Monday convicted a rape accused in Balasore and sentenced him to 20 years rigorous imprisonment (RI) along with Rs5,000 penalty. The court further ordered two years RI in case of default in payment of the fine amount by the convict.
According to the Special Prosecutor Pranab Kumar Panda, the convict identified as Ajay Behera, a resident of Daradia village under Khantapara police station limits, and a shopkeeper, sexually assaulted a 7-year-old girl of the same village in May last year when she went to fetch chocolate from his shop.
The grandfather of the victim lodged an FIR with police alleging sexual assault against Behera after learning about the ordeals from the victim.
“The accused was tried under 376(AB) IPC and Section 6 of POCSO Act and the court after examining 17 witnesses and 20 exhibits announced the verdict Monday,” Panda said.
PNN
