JUDGMENT :

S.K. SAHOO, J.

It is said, “Trust takes years to build, seconds to break and forever to repair.”

Here is a case of a girl child who was left by her mother in the company of a neighbour on trust for watching a festival but betraying the trust, the minor girl was ravished by the neighbour in an isolated place on the way to the festival site. The thing that is worse than death is betrayal.

The appellant faced trial in the Court of Adhoc Addl. Sessions Judge, Fast Track Court, Rourkela in S.T. Case No.51/12 of 2006 for offence punishable under Section 376 (2) (f) Indian Penal Code for committing rape on a minor girl aged about 7 years namely, Miss ‘K’ (hereafter for short ‘the victim’) on 14.01.2006 in between 11.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.

The appellant was found guilty by the learned trial Court vide impugned judgment and order dated 30.6.2006 under Section 376 (2) (f) Indian Penal Code and accordingly convicted of such offence and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of ten years and to pay a fine of Rs.30,000/-, in default of payment of fine, to undergo further rigorous imprisonment for a period of one year more.

2. The prosecution case as per the First Info