In a significant judgment under the POCSO Act, the Additional District & Sessions Judge-cum-Special POCSO Judge, Basudev Acharya, has sentenced Tikendra Jani of Pandikot village to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 for raping a minor girl and later abandoning her after she became pregnant.
The court further ruled that in case of non-payment of the fine, the convict will undergo an additional six months of imprisonment.
According to the case details, Jani lured the minor girl into a physical relationship on the pretext of marriage. When the girl became five months pregnant, she asked him to marry her and take her home, but he refused. Following this, the victim’s family lodged a complaint at Papdahandi police station on September 12, 2024. A case (No. 179/24) was registered, and the accused was charge-sheeted in court.
The trial was registered under TR No. 43/24, during which the statements of 17 witnesses were recorded. Based on their testimonies, the POCSO Judge pronounced the verdict, awarding the maximum punishment.
Additionally, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) was directed to provide compensation of Rs 14.5 lakh to the survivor. The case was prosecuted by Special Public Prosecutor Sachi Nandan Swain.
