Bhubaneswar: Twenty-three years after a couple was allegedly paraded naked by a group of women in Jharsuguda district, a court has convicted all 14 accused.The convicts were spared jail sentence but were fined Rs 1,000 each. While the judgment was delivered on June 26 by Pratyusha Kiran, senior civil judge (women’s court)-cum-JMFC, Jharsuguda, the order copy was available on Friday. The convicts are aged between 30s and 70s. All of them are currently out on bail and alive. They were present in court when the judgment was delivered.Usharani Majhi, assistant director (prosecution) in Jharsuguda who was monitoring the trial, said the case dates back to March 28, 2003, when the accused allegedly barged into the residence of the couple under Laikera police limits, confronted them over a previous dispute, and subjected them to public humiliation.The victims, who are now in their 40s, were allegedly assaulted, stripped naked, garlanded with shoes and forced to walk through the village in broad daylight with their faces blackened. The woman lodged a complaint the same day.Laikera police registered an FIR on March 30 under multiple IPC sections including outraging modesty. All the accused — including some who were minors at the time — were arrested and detained on April 5, 2003, but released on bail within hours by the then inspector in‑charge of Laikera police station.Though police filed the charge sheet on July 17, 2003, the court framed charges only on Nov 15, 2025 — after a 22-year delay. Trial finally began about seven months ago.“Investigation was completed on time. A substantial delay occurred only after filing of the charge sheet, before trial commenced. Framing of charges is the sole responsibility of courts,” a police officer said.Welcoming the verdict, Jharsuguda SP Gundala Reddy Raghavendra said, “Even after more than two decades, the criminal justice system has ensured accountability. The conviction reflects the importance of a fair, impartial and evidence-based investigation.”
