A local court in Ballia has sentenced a man to 25 years in prison for abducting a 13-year-old girl in a case dating back nearly three years, a police official said.

Abhishek Chauhan, a resident of the same village as the girl in the Maniyar police station area, abducted her on November 17, 2023, according to the prosecution.

A case was registered against Chauhan under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act based on a complaint lodged by the girl's father.

The police subsequently filed a chargesheet against the accused after completing the investigation.

Ballia Superintendent of Police Iraj Raja said on Tuesday that Special Judge (POCSO Act) Pratham Kant, after hearing arguments from all sides, convicted Chauhan on Monday and sentenced him to 25 years of imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 40,000.