Man from Odisha receives 20 years in prison for sexually abusing a 14-year-old

KENDRAPARA: The ad hoc judge of the Fast Track Special Court (POCSO) in Kendrapara on Thursday sentenced a 55-year-old man to 20 years imprisonment for sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy in a village three years ago.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the convict Saudagar Sahoo, and if he fails to pay it, his jail term would be extended by two years. The court also directed the Odisha State Legal Services Authority (OSLSA) to pay a compensation of Rs 500,000 to the victim. Judge Tribikram Keshari Chinhara found Sahoo guilty under Section 377 of the IPC and Section 6 of the POCSO Act 2012.

The victim’s mother had filed a complaint with the police on July 16, 2021, alleging that Sahoo dragged her son to a cowshed near the village and sexually abused him there. As many as 10 witnesses, including the victim, testified in court. Based on the witness statements and the medical report, the court sentenced the accused to 20 years imprisonment, said special public prosecutor Manoj Kumar Sahu.