Man sentenced to 11-year RI for raping minor girl

Phulbani (Odisha): A court here today sentenced a man to 11-year rigorous imprisonment for raping a minor.

Additional District and sessions Judge, Kandhamal, Susant Patel sentenced Sukant Nayak to 11 years of RI after convicting him of raping the minor.

The court also slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on him and ordered that he would undergo another year of RI, in case of default.

Special Public Prosecutor Asim Praharaj said the court convicted him after recording the statements of 11 witnesses.

According to the prosecution, Nayak, a resident of Gumsgarh village, was a close friend of the victim's brother.

He frequently visited their house and on the false promise of marrying her, developed a relationship with her.

Meanwhile, the girl got pregnant and her family forced Nayak to marry her but he refused, the prosecutor said.

The girl gave birth to a baby boy on April 18, 2014.

Upset with the development, the girl's father lodged a complaint with Phulbani sadar police on the basis of which a case was registered and the man was arrested, he said.