CUTTACK: The Special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court, Cuttack on Tuesday awarded Rs 5 lakh compensation to a minor girl, who was a victim of rape in 2019. Presiding judge Subash Kumar Behari gave the compensation keeping in view the facts and circumstances of the case and the age of the victim at the time of occurrence. The accused Patita Behera (54) was sentenced to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment, with the court also imposing a fine of Rs 20,000 on him.
Special public prosecutor Ramesh Chandra Mohanty led the prosecution with 12 witnesses and 13 documents including the medical reports. The judge directed the secretary, district legal services authority, Cuttack for compliance of the order related to compensation to the victim girl. Any interim compensation if paid to the victim shall be adjusted with the Rs 5 lakh compensation, the order said. The trial started on the basis of the FIR lodged by the victim’s mother at the Mangalabag police station on May 20, 2019. The victim was five years old when the incident occurred. Patita was arrested on May 22, 2019.