Berhampur: The special Pocso court at Phulbani in Kandhamal district on Friday sentenced a 31-year old man to undergo rigorous imprisonment for life for raping a six-year-old girl.
The judgment came five months and eight days after registration of the case on April 17 in Kandhamal district.
Manoranjan Das, additional district judge (ADJ)-cum-special judge of the Pocso court also imposed a fine Rs 60,000 on the convict. He would undergo an additional 18 months in jail if he fails to pay the fine, the court ordered, said special prosecutor Asim Praharaj.
The court has also directed the district legal service authorities (DLSA) to pay Rs 7 lakh to the victim under the Odisha victim compensation scheme, he said. The court pronounced the judgment after recording the statements of 14 witnesses, including police, doctor and based on the medical reports, including DNA profiling, said Praharaj
Sources said the accused took the victim on a motorcycle on April 16 after promising her to give chocolate and biscuits. When she did not return, her mother went in search for her and discovered the crime. She took her to nearest hospital and then referred to district headquarter hospital, Phulbani for treatment.
The mother of the victim lodged an FIR. Police arrested the accused the same day. After collecting all evidence, police filed a chargesheet on June 16.
Hailing the verdict, a senior police officer in Kandhamal said police collected all necessary evidence in the case in a short span of time and ensured proper sentence for the accused.
Based in Berhampur, Hrusikesh Mohanty covers local news, focusing...
Read MoreBased in Berhampur, Hrusikesh Mohanty covers local news, focusing on issues like agriculture, environment, wildlife, education, health, infrastructure, tribal issues, and socio-political events. His reports often highlight wildlife, education, environment and Maoist issues.
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