Man Sentenced for Heinous Crime Against Minor in Odisha

A special POCSO court in Odisha sentenced Md Mustakim to 20 years for raping a 12-year-old girl. The court also imposed a Rs 10,000 fine and ordered Rs 4 lakh compensation for the victim. The judgment was supported by the victim's statement, witness accounts, and medical evidence.

A special POCSO court in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district has sentenced Md Mustakim, 35, to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the rape of a 12-year-old girl. The conviction was accompanied by a fine of Rs 10,000, as confirmed by Special Public Prosecutor Manaranjan Pattnaik.

The presiding judge, Santosh Kumar Nayak, also directed the Mayurbhanj District Legal Services Authority to compensate the victim with Rs 4 lakh. The verdict hinged on testimony from the victim, statements from seven witnesses, and a corroborative medical report.

According to authorities, Mustakim, a relative of the victim, committed the crime on March 8, 2023, by luring her to a riverside near Bahalda. Following the incident, an FIR was lodged, resulting in his arrest under the POCSO Act and IPC sections.

(With inputs from agencies.)