Kendrapara, Nov 17: A 53-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the rape of a minor girl in Odisha's Kendrapara.
Additional District Judge-cum-Special Judge (POCSO) Kendrapara, Pragyan Paramita Roul, delivered the verdict on Saturday, relying on the testimony of 19 witnesses, including the victim herself, and medical evidence.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the convict, Kapilendra Mallick. Additionally, the Odisha State Legal Services Authority (OSLSA) was directed to provide a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the victim girl under the government's Odisha Victim Compensation Scheme.
According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on June 6, 2022, when the girl visited Mallick's house to meet a friend. The neighbor took advantage of the situation and raped the minor girl.
The victim's mother filed an FIR at the local police station, leading to Mallick's arrest.