Man gets 20-year rigorous imprisonment for raping teen

Berhampur: A special Pocso court in Kandhamal district on Monday sentenced a 31-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a 14-year-old girl last year.Manoranjan Das, additional district-cum-special Pocso court judge, also imposed a fine Rs 55,000 on the convict.

“He would undergo an additional nine months of jail if he fails to pay the fine amount,” said special public prosecutor Asim Praharaj.The court also directed the district legal services authorities to pay a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the survivor. “The court pronounced its verdict after examining and recording the statements of 18 witnesses, including police, doctor and verifying some other relevant documents,” Praharaj said.Sources said the convict had entered the home of the girl on Jan 4 last year when her parents were not present. Her younger brother, aged about eight years, was threatened by the man when he protested the crime. The man left the house the next morning.The survivor lodged an FIR against the man on Jan 9, 2024, when her parents returned home. After registering a case, police arrested him on the same day. “The accused was in jail since his arrest as the court had rejected his bail petition earlier,” said Praharaj.