Jajpur: A Special POCSO Court in Jajpur district has convicted a man of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old minor girl and sentenced him to 20 years in prison.

Additional District and Sessions Judge and Special POCSO Judge Abhilash Senapati sentenced Seikh Halim, a resident of Nathasahi village in Jajpur district, to 20 years of imprisonment.

The court also imposed a fine of ₹50,000 on Halim. In default of payment, he will undergo an additional 12 months of imprisonment.

According to the prosecution, Halim allegedly established a relationship with the minor in 2025 and promised to marry her. He allegedly had sexual relations with her on multiple occasions. However, after he refused to marry her, the victim’s family lodged a written complaint at Jajpur Sadar police station.

Acting on the complaint, police arrested Halim and forwarded him to court under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

During the trial, the Special POCSO Court examined the statements of 17 witnesses and relied on 13 documents before convicting the accused.

The court also directed the District Legal Services Authority to provide ₹10 lakh in compensation to the victim.