Kendrapada Court Delivers Justice in Minor Rape Case
A special court in Kendrapada has delivered a strong verdict in a disturbing case involving the sexual assault of a minor girl, sentencing the primary accused to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for his crimes committed in 2023.
The Horrific Incident and Investigation
The case dates back to October 17, 2023, when a 16-year-old Plus 2 student fell unconscious after consuming a soft drink that had been drugged by her classmate near their college. While she was unconscious, the girl was transported to a hotel in Cuttack by her classmate and the main convict, a 31-year-old man.
According to prosecution details, the minor girl was sexually assaulted by the convict at the hotel while her classmate was present. The traumatized victim managed to return to her village the following day on October 18 and immediately filed a formal police complaint, clearly stating that she had been raped by the convict in the hotel.
Swift Police Action and Arrests
Law enforcement authorities moved quickly following the FIR registration. The investigation led to the arrest of the girl's classmate on October 20, 2023, for his role in drugging the victim. The primary accused, the 31-year-old convict, was apprehended the very next day on October 21, 2023.
The case was heard by the additional district judge-cum-special judge handling Pocso cases in Kendrapada. The court not only handed down the substantial prison sentence but also imposed a fine of Rs 63,000 on the convict. The judgment specified that failure to pay this financial penalty would result in an additional one-year extension of his imprisonment term.
Previous Conviction in the Same Case
This verdict follows an earlier judgment in the same case where the court had already convicted the victim's classmate. On April 11, the same special court had sentenced the classmate to 20 years of imprisonment for his role in abetting the rape of the minor girl.
The consecutive convictions in this case demonstrate the judicial system's firm stance against crimes under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and send a strong message about the serious consequences facing those who commit such offenses against minors.
