Phulbani, Mar 22: A Special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POSCO) Court at Phulbani has convicted and sentenced a person to undergo 20 years of Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) for kidnapping and raping a minor girl.
The court not only sentenced the accused but also imposed a fine of Rs 23,000 on him. Failure to pay this fine will result in an additional imprisonment of two years and three months.
Furthermore, the court ordered the District Legal Services Authority to compensate the victim's family with Rs 6 lakh.
The case brought against the accused stemmed from an FIR filed in 2021. According to the FIR, Babul lured and enticed a minor girl to elope with him in February 2021, subsequently kidnapping her. He then raped the girl multiple times under the guise of marriage after abducting her in June 2021.
The victim's family filed a complaint, leading the Phiringia police to register a case, rescue the minor girl, and arrest Babul. The accused faced charges under the POCSO Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Public Prosecutor Asim Praharaj stated, "In addition to the kidnapping and rape charges against the minor girl, Babul also reportedly threatened the victim's father with harm. The court reached its verdict based on statements from 12 witnesses and the medical report of the minor girl. In addition to sentencing the accused to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment, the court awarded Rs 6 lakh in compensation to the victim's family. Furthermore, the accused faces an additional imprisonment of two years and three months if he fails to pay the fine."
