Bhubaneswar: In a significant verdict, a Special POCSO court in Bhubaneswar on Thursday sentenced 21-year-old Raja Mallick to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) for raping a 17-year-old girl in 2020.
The court also imposed a fine of ₹5,000, with an additional three-month jail term stipulated if the fine remains unpaid.
The case dates back to July 18, 2020, when Mallick, who was known to the survivor and had been in a relationship with her, abducted the minor under the false pretext of marriage and subsequently raped her. Following the incident, the victim’s family lodged a formal complaint at Khandagiri police station, prompting an investigation that led to the girl’s rescue on October 24, 2020. Police arrested Mallick three days later from Bhubaneswar’s Baramunda area.
The conviction was based on thorough examination of evidence, including testimonies from 14 witnesses and scrutiny of 73 documents.
In a move to support the survivor’s rehabilitation, the court directed the Khordha District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to provide her with ₹3.5 lakh as compensation.
