Jajpur: A special POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act) court in Odisha's Jajpur district sentenced a youth to 20 years of imprisonment in connection with his involvement in the rape of a 15 year-old girl two years back. 

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on the convict. Special POCSO court judge Abhijit Palei also directed the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to give Rs 2 lakh compensation to the survivor.  

According to Public Prosecutor Rajib Mohanty, the accused youth Ganeswar Jedy had lured the minor, a Class 9 student at the time of crime, into a relationship in Dharmasala in 2023. After convincing her to elope with him on the false assurance of marriage, Ganeswar had taken the minor to a friend's place in Jagatpur and raped her multiple times by holding her hostage. Unable to find her, her family had filed a missing complaint with Dharmasala police. After initiating a probe into the matter and following cues, a Childline team managed to nab Ganeswar and rescue the girl at Bhubaneswar railway station while he was taking her from Jagatpur to Hyderabad," he told mediapersons. 

Mohanty added that Dharmasala police later reached the place and the minor was handed over to the family while the accused youth was arrested. After investigation and subsequent trial, he was convicted for the offence of rape in the POCSO court and sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment. The judgment was pronounced on the basis of evidence and examination of 16 witnesses.