BARIPADA: A special POCSO court in Baripada on Monday sentenced a 32-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) for raping a minor girl in a case of 2020.
The convict is Suresh Singh Rajput, a native of Sangam Vihar in New Delhi. Additional district judge-cum-special judge (POCSO) Pratima Patra further imposed fine of Rs 50,000 on Suresh. He would have to serve an additional jail term of one year if he fails of pay the fine.
Special public prosecutor Abhinna Pattanayak said the verdict was pronounced basing on the statements of 17 witnesses. The District Legal Services Authority has been asked to pay Rs 4 lakh compensation to the victim.
Sources said the incident had taken place on October 9, 2020. Suresh then stayed in Thakuranibeda within Rairangpur police limits. The victim, then aged around 10 years, was playing outside her house.
On seeing her alone, Suresh asked her to accompany him to his house on the pretext of recharging his mobile phone. However on reaching there, he locked her in a room and sexually assaulted her. The victim managed to escape and shared her ordeal with her father.