Second capital punishment under POCSO Act in Odisha

The accused was caught and he took them to the crime spot where the body was recovered. Mohanta was arrested a day after the incident.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

 BARIPADA: The First Additional District and Sessions Judge-cum-Presiding Officer of Children’s Court on Wednesday awarded death sentence to a 25-year-old man for rape and murder of a minor tribal girl at Garudabasa village in Mayurbhanj district last year. After Angul’s Kangula village case, this is the second Capital punishment under POCSO Act in Odisha.

Terming the crime committed by the accused Jaminikanta Mohanta of the same village as barbaric, Judge Md Irshadun Nabi found him guilty of abduction, rape and murder under the POCSO Act and sentenced him to death by hanging.

Public Prosecutor Abhinna Patnayak said on June 14, 2018, Mohanta had taken the minor girl on his bicycle to a nearby forest around 3 pm on the pretext of training her to bicycle. Mohanta raped her and killed her with a stone. He had then disposed the body in the forest. 
Finding the girl missing, when the parents began to search for her, the villagers informed them that Mohanta had taken her on a bicycle towards forest. 

The accused was caught and he took them to the crime spot where the body was recovered. Mohanta was arrested a day after the incident.

Within 17 days from registration of the case under POCSO and SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the charge sheet was submitted by Betnoti police for a speedy trial.

“The Judge after examining 27 witnesses and 49 evidences including the post-mortem report awarded death sentence to Mohanta on several charges including the rape and murder,” said Patnayak. 
The Judge also imposed a fine of `one lakh on Mohanta. 

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