sexual assault: Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), Oct 29: A school teacher has been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment by a special POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) court for the rape of two minor girls in Jajpur district, Odisha, two years ago. The conviction of Mohan Bhuyan was announced on Monday, with the court determining the jail term for crimes committed in 2022.
Alongside the prison sentence, the court has imposed a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh on Bhuyan. If he fails to pay this penalty, he will face an additional 18 months in prison.
The incidents occurred at a government school in Panikoili, where Bhuyan, who also offered private tuition, detained the two girls on separate occasions to carry out the assaults.
After the incidents came to light, the victims’ families lodged complaints at the Panikoili police station. Bhuyan was subsequently arrested and charged under Section 376(AB) and Section 6 of the POCSO Act.
During the hearing, the judge based the sentence on the testimonies of 16 witnesses and other evidence presented, as noted by special prosecutor Rajeev Mohanty.
