Justice Served: POCSO Court Sentences Man for 2022 Crime

A POCSO court in Bhubaneswar has sentenced a man to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for the 2022 rape of a 15-year-old girl. In addition, the court levied a fine of Rs 5,000 on the convict, identified as Sanatan Nayak.

The court's decision, delivered by Saroj Kumar Sahoo, Ad hoc Additional Sessions Judge, included a directive for the District Legal Services Authority, Khurda, to compensate the survivor with Rs 4 lakh. The ruling followed a comprehensive examination comprising 11 witnesses and 57 documents.

The incident occurred on March 12, 2022, when Nayak allegedly kidnapped the girl from her home. Prompt action and a complaint by the victim's family led to her rescue and Nayak's arrest by the Airport police. The convict faced charges under the IPC and the POCSO Act.

(With inputs from agencies.)