Rourkela: The additional district judge-cum-presiding officer of the Pocso court in Sundargarh on Tuesday sentenced a 30-year-old man to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for the rape of a minor girl. The case dates back to Jan 5, 2023, when a 16-year-old girl was reportedly assaulted while on her way to relieve herself. The accused, then 28, allegedly dragged her to a secluded area, raped her, and threatened her with dire consequences if she disclosed the incident. The survivor, fearing for her life, initially remained silent.The situation escalated when the accused circulated a nude video of her on social media on March 15, 2023. The survivor’s mother discovered the video, prompting the girl to reveal the harrowing details of her assault and subsequent threats. Following this revelation, the survivor lodged a formal complaint at a police station on Mar 19, 2023. The police promptly arrested the accused, who was later released on bail in Jan 2024.Public prosecutor Debasis Mishra said during the court proceedings, Judge Gyana Ranjan Patnaik also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the convict. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional year of imprisonment. Furthermore, the court directed the District Legal Services Authority, Sundargarh, to compensate the now 18-year-old survivor with Rs. 7 lakh.
