Bhubaneswar, Feb 6 : A special court in Odisha's Nayagarh district on Tuesday sentenced, to 20 years rigorous imprisonment, the convict in the sensational rape and murder case of 5-year-old girl that had triggered huge uproar in the state in 2020.

The state government had also come under attack by the opposition following the self-immolation bid of the deceased's parents before the Assembly on November 24, 2020, alleging police apathy.

Following the controversy, the state government constituted a Special Investigation Team led by IGP, Crime Branch-CID Arun Bothra to investigate the case.

"The court held the accused guilty and convicted him under Sections 363, 376AB, 302, 201 of the IPC and Section 6 of the Pocso Act. He has been awarded 20 years RI for rape under sections 376AB IPC and 6 of Pocso Act and 20 years punishment for murder under section 302 IPC. Similarly, he is convicted for three years under section 363 and 201 of the IPC. Conviction terms shall run concurrently. His Under Trial Prisoner (UTP) period will be set off," a Crime Branch source said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director, Prosecution, Chita Ranjan Kanungo, who was conducting the case on behalf of the state, termed the judgment as the victory of truth. He also commended the efforts of the Crime Branch in collecting adequate evidence for the successful detection of the case.

"As the accused was under 18 years of age, he couldn't be awarded capital punishment according to law," he added.

The five-year-old minor girl had gone missing on July 14, 2020 while playing outside her house in Jadupur village in Nayagarh. Her skeletal remains were found concealed under the bushes near a pond on the backside of the house of the accused on July 23, 2020.

Nayagarh police initially investigated the case which was later handed over to Crime Branch on November 25, 2020. Later, an SIT was constituted on November 28, 2020.

The accused, a neighbour of the victim, was arrested by police on December 20, 2020.

"The investigators conducted thorough investigation using all scientific methods like layered voice analysis test, phycological assessment test, polygraph test, DNA test and forensic examination of blood, semen stain and other available evidence including digital evidence. Some of these tests were conducted by experts from Central Forensics Science Laboratory, New Delhi and State Forensic Science Laboratory, Gandhinagar, Gujarat," a Crime Branch source said.

/IANS