Bhubaneswar: Additional District and Sessions Judge Court Bhadrak today awarded life imprisonment to a 38-year-old man for sexually exploiting a minor girl.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Bhadrak Pranati Saha today convicted one Manas Jena (38) of Ghusurigadia village under Khaira police limits of Balasore district before sentencing him to life imprisonment for sexual exploitation of a minor girl.
In addition to awarding life imprisonment to Jena, the court imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on him. On failure to pay the fine, Jena will have to undergo rigorous imprisonment for one year.
On the other hand, the court has ordered the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to provide assistance of Rs 3 lakh to the victim.
According to the proceedings of the case, on the fateful evening of November 3 in 2017 Jena who was residing as a tenant at Dagara Sahi of Charampa village in Bhadrak district had managed to take a minor of the same village who was playing outside her house to a desolate place and had sexually assaulted her.
The victim narrated her ordeal to her mother following which her father lodged a complaint at Bhadrak Town police station.
Following the complaint, police arrested Jena under section 376 of IPC and section 6 of the POCSO Act and forwarded him to court.
Jena has been in jail since then as an under trial prisoner.