CUTTACK: The Special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Court, Cuttack on Friday sentenced one Ajay Samal to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a minor girl seven years back. The Court also awarded Rs 5 lakh compensation to the girl and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on 57-year-old Samal. Presiding Judge Subas Behari awarded the compensation after studying all the facts and circumstances of the case and considering that the girl is an orphan.
The trial was taken up on the basis of the FIR lodged with Mahila police by coordinator of Childline Narayan Shukla in November, 2014. The girl who lived at Cuttack railway station, was less than 12 years old when the incident took place. Samal has been in judicial custody since his arrest. The pre-conviction detention period undergone as prisoner under trial be set off against the substantive sentence, the judge specified.The court directed the Secretary DLSA, Cuttack for compliance of the order related to compensation to the girl.