Bhubaneswar, August 1: A Special POCSO Court in Odisha’s Kendujhar district on Saturday sentenced a coaching centre owner to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a seven-year-old girl. The court also awarded ₹10 lakh as compensation to the survivor.

The judgment was delivered by the Additional District Judge-cum-Special Judge (POCSO), who convicted Gautam Mohanty after finding him guilty of sexually assaulting the minor. The court also imposed a fine of ₹2,000. If the fine is not paid, the convict will have to serve an additional one year in prison.

According to the Public Prosecutor, the crime occurred in August 2025 at a coaching centre run by the accused in the Harichandanpur area of Kendujhar district. The victim was enrolled as a student at the institute.

The incident came to light after the child's family learned about the assault. A village meeting was reportedly convened, during which the accused was questioned and allegedly confessed to the crime. The family later lodged a written complaint with Harichandanpur Police, leading to the registration of a case and the arrest of the accused.

During the trial, the prosecution examined 15 witnesses. Based on oral testimony and documentary evidence, the court found the accused guilty and sentenced him to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment while directing that the survivor be paid ₹10 lakh in compensation.Bottom of Form