DASHWANTH Vs. STATE OF TAMIL NADU

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard.

(2.) The appellant herein was tried by the learned Sessions Judge, Mahila Court, Chengalpet[Hereinafter, referred to as 'trial Court'.] in Special Sessions Case No. 33 of 2017 for the offences punishable under Ss. 363, 366, 354-B, 302, and 201 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860[For short, 'IPC'.] and Sec. 8 read with Sec. 7 and Sec. 6 read with Sec. 5(m) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012[For short, 'POCSO Act'.]. The trial Court, vide judgment of conviction and order of sentence dtd. 19/2/2018 convicted the accused-appellant[Hereinafter, referred to as 'appellant'.] for the aforementioned offences and sentenced him in the terms indicated below: -

(3.) Being aggrieved, the appellant preferred an appeal[Criminal Appeal No. 234 of 2018.] before the High Court of Judicature at Madras[Hereinafter, referred to as 'High Court'.] for assailing his conviction and the sentences awarded to him. The trial Court also forwarded a reference[Referred Trial No. 1 of 2018.] under Sec. 366 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973[Hereinafter, referred to as 'CrPC'.] for confirmation of the death sentence. The learned Division Bench of the High Court vide common judgment dtd. 10/7/2018, dismissed the appeal preferred by the appellant and answered the reference in the affirmative thereby confirming the death sentence awarded to the appellant by the trial Court. The said judgment of the High Court is the subject matter of challenge in these appeals by special leave.