Bhubaneswar: A court in Jajpur district on Monday sentenced the prime accused in the 2021 death of Rama Devi Women’s University student Jharaphula Nayak to life imprisonment after convicting him in the case.
The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Jajpur, awarded life imprisonment to Rakesh Kumar Swain and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh. In default of payment, he will have to undergo an additional one year’s imprisonment.
The court also sentenced Swain’s aide, Amaresh Rout, to five years’ imprisonment for assisting the prime accused in destroying evidence.
Jharaphula Nayak (21), a resident of Maundeipasi village under Jashipur police limits in Mayurbhanj district, was found dead by the roadside at Mulapala under Kuakhai police limits in Jajpur on January 27, 2021.
Police investigation revealed that Jharaphula and Swain had checked into a hotel in Bhubaneswar on January 26, 2021. She died under mysterious circumstances in the hotel.
According to the prosecution, Swain, along with his aide, transported the student’s body on a scooter and dumped it by the roadside at Mulapala before fleeing the spot.
During the investigation, police gathered evidence alleging that Swain had killed Jharaphula in the hotel. Based on the evidence collected and the testimonies of 22 witnesses examined during the trial, the court convicted Swain of the murder and Rout for destroying evidence.
