Bhubaneswar, Aug 8 : A POCSO court here on Friday sentenced a 35-year-old man to 20 years rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a seven-year-old minor girl in Tamando area of Bhubaneswar in February 2021.

The convict was identified as Rabindra Behera of Rambha area in Ganjam district.

As per reports, the victim along with her twin brothers was playing inside the house on February 25, 2021.

The victim's mother, who was busy in conversation with some neighbours outside the house, spotted the accused Rabindra loitering near her house.

However, after 10 to 15 minutes, she found the accused missing there.

Out of suspicion, she ran inside her house and found Rabindra sexually misbehaving with the minor.

When the victim's mother confronted the accused, the latter attempted to flee by forcefully pushing her aside.

However, local residents present at the spot managed to catch Rabindra and handed him over to the police.

The court after examining the statements of nine witnesses and 55 exhibits pronounced the judgment on Friday.

The court sentenced Rabindra to 20 years rigorous imprisonment and asked him to pay a fine of Rs 8,000.

The court also directed the district legal services authority to take steps for the payment of a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the victim.

In another significant development, the POCSO court in Berhampur on Friday sentenced a 59-year-old person to 20 years rigorous imprisonment for having unnatural sex with his 16-year-old nephew (son of wife's brother) in Baidyanathpur police station area of Ganjam district in 2023.

According to the case details, in February 2023, the accused Nityananda Patra invited the victim to his house on some pretext and forcefully had unnatural sex with him.

The victim, who sustained severe injuries, later revealed everything before his family members.

On February 17, 2023, the victim's mother filed a FIR at the Baidyanathpur police station.

Later, police arrested the accused, registering a case in this regard.

The court on the basis of statements of nine witnesses and other exhibits pronounced the judgment holding Patra guilty of the crime.

The court also directed the Ganjam District Legal Services Authority to pay the victim Rs 50,000 financial compensation.

/IANS