Cuttack, Odisha:
A local court in Cuttack, Odisha today sentenced the prime accused in the Kandhamal nun rape case to 11 years of rigorous imprisonment and awarded 26-month jail term to two others.
Cuttack district sessions court judge Gyana Ranjan Purohit also acquitted six other accused due to lack of evidence.
While convicting Mitu Patnaik alias Santosh Patnaik for rape under Section 376 of IPC, the judge sentenced him to imprisonment for 11 years and a fine of Rs 10,000.
In case of non-payment of fine, the convict would have to undergo additional jail term for six months.
Gajendra Digal and Saroj Badhei, two others convicted in the case under IPC Section 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) were awarded 26 months in jail.
Six others, who had been chargesheeted by the Crime Branch along with the three convicted persons, were acquitted due to lack of evidence against them.
The nun was raped at Baliguda in Kandhamal district on August 25, 2008. Thirty-eight people were killed in Kandhamal riots which occurred in the tribal-dominated district in the aftermath of the killing of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati at his Jalespata Ashram on August 23.
The nun had alleged she was attacked, gang-raped and paraded semi-naked through the streets two days later.
The trial in the case began in Cuttack in August 2010.
The Crime Branch probed the incident and filed charge sheet against nine persons in first phase.
Hearing in the case was taken up by the district judge court, Cuttack, following directions to this effect by the Supreme Court on January 6.
In the first phase, the court tried nine accused and completed hearing on March 4.
Eighteen more people were arrested in the case and they will face trial later.