Bhubaneswar, Dec. 15: A fast-track court today convicted a youth for raping a minor girl at Saradeipur within the jurisdiction of Lingaraj police station here nearly 20 months ago and sentenced him seven years of rigorous imprisonment.

The verdict came at a time when the family members of the girl were going to observe the first anniversary of her demise. The 17-year-old girl had committed suicide during the course of trial on December 16, 2011, as her friend’s family members allegedly kept tried to tarnish her character.

Her friend was one of the accused in this case, as she had taken the victim to an annual fair held at Balakati near their village where the incident had occurred. The court acquitted the friend, who had been charged for kidnap.

The judge of fast-track court IV, Sarojini Mohapatra, held the accused, Subhranshu Sekhar Samal, guilty of raping the minor girl who had gone to the fair on March 28, 2011, with her friend. The judge convicted Samal for raping the girl and sentenced him to seven years of imprisonment with a fine of Rs 3,000. On default of payment, he will have to undergo another year of imprisonment.