The Jharaphula murder case, which shocked Odisha in 2021, reached its conclusion on Monday as the Jajpur Additional District Judge sentenced prime accused Rakesh Swain to life imprisonment.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on him, with additional punishment if the fine remains unpaid.
Co-accused Amaresh Rout was sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment for destroying evidence and assisting in the crime. The verdict came after a lengthy trial that examined witness testimony and police evidence.
Jharaphula Nayak, a student of Rama Devi Women’s University, was murdered on Republic Day in 2021. Investigators revealed that Rakesh Swain, her male friend, killed her in Bhubaneswar and, with the help of Amaresh, transported her body nearly 100 kilometres to Jajpur. The accused dumped the body near Kuakhia police station to conceal the crime.
Police cracked the case using CCTV footage and mobile data, exposing the sequence of events. The verdict has brought relief to Jhrafool’s family, who waited years for justice.
