Kendrapara, Apr 11 (UNI) The Additional District and Session Judge-cum-Special Court under POCSO Act-cum-Children’s court of Kendrapara on Friday sentenced a C.I.C.L (Child in Conflict with Law) to 20 years of Rigorous Imprisonment and a fine amount of Rs 18,000 in a gang rape case.
If the convicted C.I.C.L failed to deposit the fine amount, then she would undergo another year of Rigorous Imprisonment as per the court’s order, Manoj Kumar Sahoo, Special Public Prosecutor of Additional District Judge –cum-special judge(POCSO) said.
According to Sahoo, the victim, who was a minor girl, studying Plus Two 2nd year Science at a local college under Kudanagari police jurisdiction, met with the C.IC.L, who was her classmate, at the coaching centre,
The C.I.C.L had insisted that the victim girl go with her two brothers on a trip, to which the victim expressed her unwillingness.
However, after repeated requests, the victim agreed to go with the C.I.C.L.
She was allegedly drugged through a soft drink by the C.I.C.L (her classmate) and two youths gang –raped her with the help of her classmate after abducting her and taking her to CDA-based OYO hotel.
The incident occurred on the day when the welcome party was going on at the college. The culprits later took the victim to Narendrapur overbridge and threw her from the car. The victim later lodged an FIR at Kudanagari police station.
Acting on the FIR, Kudanagari PS registered a case under Section 363,363(A),376,376(2)(m)(j),376(D),376(A) ,328,323IPC ;Section 6 of POCSO Act;
The C.I.C.L ,who was the classmate of the victim, was apprehended on October 21last and was produced before the PMJJB , Kendrapara.
The C I C L was the prime accused and conspirator as she negotiated with the arrestees in this case and also helped the accused to kidnap and gang rape the victim.
Later , the Kudanagari police arrested three persons, including the Manager of CDA –based OYO hotel in Cuttack, and produced them before the court.
Adjudging the case, Additional District and Session Judge-cum-Special Court under POCSO Act-cum-Children’s court, Prangya Paramita Raula, convicted the CICL after verifying the evidence and cross-examining 16 witnesses and sentenced her to undergo 20 years of Rigorous Imprisonment along with a fine amount of Rs 18,000.
The court further ordered that if the CICL failed to provide a fine amount, she would serve another year of Rigorous Imprisonment.
As the convict is a Child in Conflict with Law, as per the provision of Section 19 (3)of the Juvenile Justice(Care and Protection of Children)Act,2015, she was sent to the Observation Home at Berhampur, Sahoo said.
The court also recommended that the government provide compensation of Rs 7.5 lakh to the victim for her proper rehabilitation.
The Secretary of DLSA , Kendrapara, was asked to take steps for sanctioning of the compensation amount to the victim, the Special Public Prosecutor said.
