Bhubaneswar: A Fast Track Special Court in Angul district on Friday sentenced four persons to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment each after convicting them in the 2024 sexual assault case involving a 21-year-old woman and a minor girl.
According to an official release, the Additional District and Sessions Judge (Fast Track Special Court), Angul, found all four accused guilty under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Besides the prison term, the court also imposed fines under the relevant legal provisions.
According to the police, the incident occurred on August 6, 2024, in Angul district. A case was registered immediately, following which police launched an investigation and arrested four accused — Jitu Sahu, Hrudaya Chandra Pradhan, Asit Kumar Sahu and Dipu alias Dibyaranjan Amanta.
The investigation was conducted by Sub-Inspector Sanghamitra Satpathy under the direct supervision of Angul Superintendent of Police Rahul Jain. The Police said the charge sheet was filed within 59 days of the registration of the case.
According to the official release, the prosecution relied on scientific evidence, witness testimonies and other material collected during the investigation, leading to the conviction of all four accused.
The police said the timely completion of the investigation and prompt filing of the charge sheet helped ensure speedy disposal of the case.
Reiterating its commitment to protecting women and children, the Odisha Police said it continues to follow a zero-tolerance policy towards crimes against women and minors. It added that the verdict reflects its commitment to conducting scientific, victim-centric and evidence-based investigations to ensure offenders are brought to justice and punished in accordance with the law.
