Jayapur: An Ad hoc Additional District and Sessions Judge of the Jayapur Fast Track Special Court on Saturday sentenced a 28-year-old man to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for kidnapping and repeatedly raping a minor girl in Koraput district in 2023.
Judge Pragya Nalini Mishra sentenced Surendra Nayak of Pandripani village to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment under Sections 366 and 376(2)(n) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and imposed a fine of Rs 15,000.
The court directed that in case of default in payment of the fine, Nayak would undergo an additional six months of rigorous imprisonment. It also directed that, apart from the fine amount recovered, adequate compensation be provided to the victim by the government through the District Legal Services Authority.
According to the case details, the minor victim was studying in Class 9 when the incident occurred. On September 18, 2024, while she was on her way to school, Nayak allegedly kidnapped her and took her to Kalaguda village, where he kept her for seven days and raped her against her will.
He subsequently took the girl to his village, Pandripani, and allegedly confined her there for about a month, during which he repeatedly raped her.
The accused allegedly left the victim at Bariniput on May 31, 2024, and fled. Subsequently, the victim’s father lodged a written complaint at the Mahila Police Station, following which police registered a case and launched an investigation.
During the investigation, police arrested Nayak, produced him before the court and subsequently filed a chargesheet against him.
The court pronounced the judgment after considering the evidence of 12 witnesses. Special Public Prosecutor Suresh Kumar Hadap conducted the case on behalf of the government.
