Odisha Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Rape Under POCSO Act

A court in Odisha's Balasore district sentenced Bharat Sethi to 10 years in prison and fined him Rs 5,000 for raping a girl six years ago. If he fails to pay, he faces an additional 2-year jail term. The court also ordered a Rs 4 lakh compensation for the victim.

A court in Odisha's Balasore district has sentenced a man to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 for raping a girl six years ago.

Judge Ranjan Kumar Sutar of Balasore district's POCSO Court announced the punishment, stipulating that the convict, Bharat Sethi, will face an additional two-year jail term if he fails to pay the fine.

The court found Sethi guilty under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act after examining 12 witnesses and 19 exhibits. Special Public Prosecutor Pranab Kumar Panda confirmed that the court also ordered a Rs 4 lakh compensation to be paid to the victim.

(With inputs from agencies.)