Kendrapada: A 28-year-old man was sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment by a local court in Jajpur on Tuesday for kidnapping and raping a minor girl last year.
Judge Sarat Kumar Dehuri found Parikhita Jena guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, 2012. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on Jena with a provision for an additional five-year term if he fails to pay the penalty.
Additionally, the court has directed the Odisha State Legal Services Authority to give a compensation of Rs 7 lakh to the girl.
According to special public prosecutor Parth Sarathi Ray, the rape survivor’s mother filed a complaint on Jan 24 last year, a day after her 15-year-old daughter went missing. On Feb 5, police traced both Jena and the girl to Bangalore where investigations revealed that he had kidnapped and sexually assaulted the minor.
The court’s verdict was based on testimonies given by seven witnesses, including the rape survivor, and medical reports.