Berhampur: The special court for Pocso Act at Paralakhemundi in Gajapati district on Monday sentenced a 45-year-old man to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually abusing and attempting to rape a 14-year-old girl in the district four years ago.Bibhu Prasad Panda, the additional district judge-cum-judge of the special court, has also imposed Rs 10,000 fine on the convict. The accused will undergo jail for six more months, if he fails to pay the fine, said public prosecutor of the court RK Mishra.The court has also directed the district legal service authorities to pay Rs 4 lakh to the girl under the victim compensation scheme, he said. The court pronounced the judgment after recording the statements of 10 witnesses, including the police, doctor and based on the relevant documents and medical reports, Mishra said.Sources said the accused lured the girl to his house on July 19, 2022. After she entered the house, he sexually abused her and attempted to rape her. She fled from the spot and narrated the incident to her mother. Her mother lodged an FIR against the accused the day after. Police arrested the accused under different sections of the Pocso Act on the same day. The accused was in jail since his arrest, as his bail pleas had been rejected by the court.
