BARGARH: Additional District and Sessions Judge of Padampur Suryanarayan Dwivedy on Tuesday sentenced a man to life imprisonment on charges of raping an 18-year-old deaf and mute girl in 2022.
The court also awarded seven years of rigorous imprisonment on the convict, Tiharu Bhue (58), for house trespass. The sentence will run concurrently with the life term. Bhue was also fined Rs 35,000, with additional imprisonment in case of non-payment.
On July 29, 2022, Bhue reportedly trespassed into the survivor’s home in Paikmal and raped her in the absence of her parents. When the survivor’s younger sister raised an alarm, the convict physically assaulted and threatened her before fleing the spot. Bhue was arrested the following day.
The case was fast-tracked due to timely identification and supervision by the Bargarh SP, efficient coordination between the investigating officers, police and prosecution, and expedited forensic examination.
The court also directed the district legal services authority of Bargarh to initiate victim compensation proceedings under the relevant legal provisions.