Man awarded 20 years rigorous imprisonment for kidnap, rape of minor girl in Odisha

A local court in Balasore district Tuesday sentenced a man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for abducting and raping a minor girl in 2022.

Special POCSO judge Ranjan Kumar Sutar, relying upon 22 witnesses and 40 exhibits, sentenced the 26-year-old accused, along with a fine of Rs 6,000, special public prosecutor Pranab Kumar Panda said.

In default of the payment, the convict has to undergo another two-year jail term, he said.

According to the prosecution, the case was reported from a village in Simulia area, where the accused kidnapped the 16-year-old girl from her house on January 19, 2022 and raped her.

The family members lodged an FIR after failing to trace the girl.