What Sentenced Former Lecturer to 20 Years for Abusing Minor?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 20 years rigorous imprisonment for the offender.
- Importance of legal measures against sexual exploitation.
- Victim received compensation for the trauma endured.
- Case highlights the need for student safety in educational institutions.
- Impact of social media on spreading private content.
Bhubaneswar, Sep 10 (NationPress) A court in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district has sentenced a former college lecturer to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the sexual abuse of a minor student and spreading the victim's explicit images and videos across social media platforms. The convict, Manas Ranjan Barik, resides in the Rasgobindpur area of Mayurbhanj district. The details of the case reveal that the accused, a gold medalist, was teaching at a college where the victim was enrolled in the Plus 2 Science stream in 2022.
In her complaint lodged at the Baripada Town Police station on March 29, 2022, the victim alleged that the accused had coerced her into a physical relationship multiple times under the false promise of marriage.
During this time, the accused managed to capture nude photographs and videos of the victim on his mobile phone.
The victim stated that when Barik initially circulated her explicit content on social media, both families met and reached a compromise where the accused agreed to delete the images and videos. However, instead of removing them, he allegedly redistributed the content, leading the victim to pursue legal action against him. Following her complaint, police registered a case and arrested Barik on March 30, 2022.
After hearing the testimonies of seven witnesses, examining 25 exhibits, and reviewing the police investigation report, the court delivered its verdict on Wednesday, finding Barik guilty of the crime.
The court has also directed the District Legal Services Authority of Mayurbhanj district to provide Rs 1 lakh as compensation to the victim.
In another related case, a local court in Jajpur district sentenced a man to 30 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually abusing a minor girl under the pretext of marriage last year in the Kuakhai area.