Film producer given 30 yrs for raping minor

A sessions court in Orissa’s Jajpur district Friday sentenced a film producer to 30 years of rigorous imprisonment after he was found guilty of raping his minor sister-in-law along with two of his accomplices.

The Jajpur district and sessions court sentenced Baruna Mahanta (34), a Mumbai-based film producer, on charges of rape, attempt to murder and sexual exploitation of a minor with 10 years of punishment that would run consecutively. Special public prosecutor, Ajay Das, said the court made it clear that the crime was heinous enough for consecutive sentencing. Mahanta was sentenced under section 376(2) and 307 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 4 of the POCSO Act.

In September 2013, Mahanta took the 17-year-old victim on a ride in his SUV. Mahanta later took her to his house where two of his friends were waiting. The trio then raped her and assaulted her physically. The two friends of Mahanta however could not be identified as they wore masks during the crime.