Justice Served: Odisha Man Jailed for 20 Years for Heinous Crime

In Odisha's Balasore district, a man received a 20-year jail sentence for raping his 12-year-old stepdaughter. The special POCSO court also fined him Rs 5,000. The court relied on multiple witnesses and evidence, and directed compensation for the survivor.

A court in Odisha's Balasore district handed a 20-year prison sentence to a man convicted of raping his 12-year-old stepdaughter. The judgement was given by the special POCSO court under Judge Ranjan Kumar Sutar, which also fined the perpetrator Rs 5,000.

The prosecution revealed that the incident took place in April 2019, when the young girl was alone at home. The accused entered her room and committed the assault, prompting the girl to later confide in her mother. The mother subsequently filed a complaint with the Jaleswar police.

The court based its verdict on testimonies from 15 witnesses and 17 pieces of evidence, convicting the man under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. Additionally, the court instructed the district legal services authority to provide a compensation of Rs 4 lakhs to the victim.

(With inputs from agencies.)