Jharsuguda witnessed a shocking case of sexual assault when a man raped his 17-year-old minor daughter.
On Tuesday, the Additional District and Sessions Judge-cum-Special POCSO Judge Pooja Mishra sentenced the accused, Rohit Rajak, to life imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 50,000.
According to reports, Rajak, originally from Garhwa district in Jharkhand, was working as a driver while living in a rented house in Kabristan Pada under Jharsuguda Sadar police limits. On July 8, he lured his daughter under the pretext of preparing food and raped her.
The next morning, July 9, the survivor approached a neighbour for help and lodged a complaint at the Sadar police station. Inspector-in-Charge Swapnarani Gochhayat registered case number 269/2025 under the POCSO Act and forwarded the accused to court.
During the trial, the court examined 21 documents and 16 witnesses before delivering the verdict. The judge ruled that if the fine was not paid, the convict would face an additional one-year jail term. The court also directed that the survivor be provided Rs 10.5 lakh as compensation.
Government lawyer P.R. Sindhe handled the prosecution, while Additional SP Madhusikta Mishra supervised the investigation. Police collected all necessary documents, witness statements, and evidence, completing the investigation and trial within 107 days.
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