Berhampur: Two days after walking out of jail having obtained bail from Orissa high court, a 27-year-old rape accused was sent back to prison on Wednesday after a fast-track special court in Phulbani sentenced him to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment for the repeated rape of a 16-year-old Plus II student last year.Additional district judge Kailash Chandra Swain also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000, and failure to pay would invite an additional year of imprisonment, special public prosecutor Raj Kumar Behera said.The court also directed the district legal services authority to pay Rs 5 lakh to the survivor under the compensation scheme.The verdict was delivered after the court examined 14 witnesses, including police and medical officers, and on the basis of medical reports and seized evidence. The trial was completed within a year of the incident, which occurred on May 11 last year.Sources said the girl, a resident of Kandhamal, had gone to her sister’s house on May 10 after her exams. The accused allegedly took her away on the pretext of marriage.Her father lodged an FIR on May 15. During investigation, the survivor got in touch with her family from an unknown number seeking help. She was rescued on June 25 from a village in Nabarangpur district and the accused was arrested.
