Bhubaneswar: A court in Odisha’s Jajpur district today pronounced its verdict in connection with a case pertaining to the death of Rama Devi Women’s University student Jharaphula Nayak in 2021.

The Additional District Sessions Judge, Jajpur, awarded life term to Jharaphula’s male friend Rakesh Kumar Swain after convicting him in the case. The court also slapped a penalty of Rs 1 lakh on the convict. Non-payment of the penalty amount would invite imprisonment for one more year, said the court.

As per the verdict, Swain’s aide Amaresh Rout would undergo imprisonment for five years for assisting the prime accused in destroying the evidence.

It is worth mentioning here that Jharaphula (21), a resident of Maundeipasi village under Jashipur police limits in Mayurbhanj, was found dead on roadside at Mulapala under Kuakhai police limits in Jajpur on January 27, 2021.

The police launched a probe into the incident and arrested her male friend. During investigation, the cops came to know that Jharaphula and her male friend had checked into a hotel in Bhubaneswar on January 26, 2021.

Jharaphula died under mysterious circumstances in the hotel. Her male friend Rakesh and his aide Shekhar carried the body on a scooter and dumped it on roadside at Mulapala in Jajpur before fleeing the spot.

The cops later collected evidence that Rakesh had killed Jharaphula in the hotel. The court convicted Rakesh and his aide Amaresh after examining at least 22 witnesses and the evidence gathered by the police during the investigation.