20-Year Sentence for Man Convicted of Raping 17-Year-Old in Phulbani

Justice Served in Phulbani: A POCSO Court's Verdict

Phulbani: A man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a POCSO court for the rape of a 17-year-old girl, as confirmed by a government attorney on Wednesday.

Public prosecutor Banamali Behera reported that the special POCSO court judge, Kailash Chandra Swain, also levied a fine of Rs 20,000 on the convicted individual, Santa Kumar Pradhan, aged 24.

The judge stipulated that if Pradhan fails to pay the imposed fine, he will face an additional two years in custody.

This ruling was made after the court reviewed testimonies from 16 witnesses, Behera noted.

The prosecution's case revealed that Pradhan, originally from Daringbadi in Kandhamal district, sought refuge in the victim's home during a storm on July 18, 2016, and assaulted her while she was alone.

Subsequently, a village committee intervened, leading to their marriage in 2021.

However, in 2024, Pradhan deserted his wife under various pretenses, prompting her to file a police report against him at the Phiringia police station, which resulted in his arrest.