Man Sentenced to Life for Heinous Crime Against Child

A POCSO court in Odisha has given a life sentence to 26-year-old Sukant Sethi after finding him guilty of sexually assaulting and murdering a four-year-old boy. The Additional District Judge Pranati Pattnaik also imposed a Rs 10,000 fine, adding an extra year of imprisonment if unpaid.

In a verdict reflecting the gravity of the crime, the court directed the district legal services authority to compensate the victim's family with Rs 2 lakh. The judgment followed testimonies from 17 witnesses, including police and medical experts.

The crime occurred on January 24, 2023, in a village under the jurisdiction of Dharakote police station. Sethi, related to the victim, was arrested following a complaint from the child's father. He has been in custody since the arrest, with his bail plea previously rejected.