Bhubaneswar, May 19: A court in Bargarh district sentenced 42-year-old Ganesh Seth to life imprisonment for sexually abusing his minor daughter. Seth, a resident of the Bargarh town police station area, was also fined Rs 20,000.
Special Public Prosecutor Dyutish Acharya informed that Seth had remarried after the death of his first wife and, along with his stepmother, inflicted torture on his children. He repeatedly assaulted his 12-year-old daughter, threatening her into silence.
Eventually, the child confided in the cook at her village school, who helped her report the crime to Childline and the police.
The police registered a case under the IPC and POCSO Act sections on February 22, 2020. Seth was arrested a few days later, though the accused stepmother remains at large.
Following the testimonies of 18 witnesses and documentary evidence, including a medical report, the court found Seth guilty and ruled that he must serve the rest of his life in prison without remission.
The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) of Bargarh was also directed to provide Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the victim for her rehabilitation.
