Baripada: A Special Fast Track POCSO Court in Mayurbhanj on Wednesday sentenced a 27-year-old lecturer to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) for the rape of a minor college student and the subsequent viral circulation of her obscene videos.
The convict Manas Ranjan Barik, a resident of Amarda village under Rasgovindpur police station limits was employed as a lecturer at Sai Sadhana Junior College in Udala. The court found him guilty of developing an illicit relationship with the minor student, sexually assaulting her, and using recorded videos to blackmail her.
Special POCSO Court Judge, Santosh Kumar Nayak, pronounced the judgment after a thorough examination of evidence, which included witness testimonies, medical reports, and the police investigation dossier. The court also imposed a fine of ₹2,10,000 on the convict. The verdict stipulated that a failure to pay the fine would result in an additional prison term of two years and six months.
According to the prosecution, the accused exploited his position of trust to befriend the victim. He engaged in a physical relationship with her on multiple occasions, during which he secretly filmed videos and took photographs. When the minor victim gathered the courage to refuse further advances, Barik resorted to blackmail, threatening to leak the explicit content.
After the victim confided in her family, the accused made good on his threat, spreading the obscene material. A formal complaint was subsequently lodged by the victim’s family at the Baripada Town police station.
The police acted swiftly, registered a case, recorded the victim’s statement and arrested the accused.
In a move towards victim rehabilitation, the court directed the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to provide a compensation of ₹1 lakh to the survivor for her trauma and to aid her rehabilitation.
Public Prosecutor Manoranjan Pattnaik represented the state in the case.
