Cuttack: Orissa High Court has recommended the rape case of another minor girl, the third in less than 40 days, to be considered for compensation under the state government's scheme.

The girl was under 12 years old at the time of occurrence on June 20, 2004 at Bandapali within Attabira police limits in Bargarh district.

The single-judge bench of Justice S.K. Sahoo issued the direction in addition to dismissing the appeal petition of Dhrubendriya Mahakud and Swadhin Taria against the order of Court of Additional Sessions Judge (special court), Bargarh, which found them guilty of raping the girl and sentenced them to 10 years imprisonment on January 27, 2007.

"In view of the enactment of the Orissa Victim Compensation Scheme, 2012, keeping in view the age of the victim at the time of occurrence and the nature and gravity of the offence committed and the family background, I feel it necessary to recommend the case of the victim to the district legal services authority, Bargarh, to examine the case of the victim after conducting the necessary inquiry in accordance with law for grant of compensation under the compensation scheme," Justice Sahoo said in the order.

On the sentence aspect, Justice Sahoo observed: "As the prosecution has established the charges against the appellants 'beyond all reasonable doubt', the 10 years rigorous imprisonment imposed by the trial court on them 'appears to be just and proper'."

"I find no infirmity and illegality in the impugned judgment, and therefore, the conviction of the appellants and the sentence passed there by the trial court stands confirmed," Justice Sahoo ruled in his October 12 order.

On September 16, Justice Sahoo passed an identical direction to the district legal services authority of Keonjhar.

In that case, the victim was about 12 years old at the time of occurrence of the rape on September 13, 2007, in Barbil police limits in Keonjhar district.

Justice Sahoo passed the other identical order to the district legal services authority, Mayurbhanj, on September 7.

The victim, in that case, was about 12 years old at the time of occurrence of the rape on April 24, 2010 at a village in Mayurbhanj district, and due to the rape she became pregnant.