Kendrapara: A local court in Kendrapara district has sentenced a 28-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) for kidnapping and raping a minor girl three years ago.
The Additional District and Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge under the POCSO Act, Prangya Parmita Raul, on Thursday convicted Bikram Biswal and imposed a fine of ₹52,000 on him.
According to Special Public Prosecutor Manoj Kumar Sahoo, Biswal, a resident of Praharajpur under Rajnagar police limits, had kidnapped a 16-year-old girl on October 31, 2021, and confined her at his residence. When the girl’s father attempted to rescue her, Biswal’s family members allegedly abused and threatened him.
Based on the complaint, Rajnagar police rescued the victim and arrested Biswal. After examining 17 witnesses during the trial, the court found him guilty under relevant sections of the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
However, the court acquitted Biswal’s elderly parents due to lack of sufficient evidence.
In addition to the sentence, the court recommended a compensation of ₹6 lakh for the victim’s rehabilitation and directed the Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Kendrapara, to initiate the compensation process.
