PARAMESHA Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The present appeal has been preferred by the appellant-accused challenging the judgment of conviction and order of sentence passed by the Additional Sessions and Special Judge, Hassan in Special Case No.146/2014 dated 23/24.10.2019.

(2.) I have heard Sri Pradeep K.C, the learned counsel for the appellant-accused and Sri Renukaradhya, the learned High Court Government Pleader for the respondent-State.

(3.) The case of the prosecution in brief is that eight months prior to 15.11.2014 at about 2.00 p.m. when the victim alone was there in her residence, the accused came knowing well that the victim is minor by enticing her sexually assaulted her and subsequently, he has threatened her with dire consequences if she discloses the said incident to anybody. It is further alleged that in the month of March 2014 again accused approached and had sexually assaulted the victim and as a result of the same, the victim conceived and when she has been taken to the hospital, the same has been confirmed and on 15.11.2014 the victim delivered a female child. On the basis of the said complaint, a case has been registered. After the investigation, the charge sheet has been filed. The Special Court took the cognizance after serving the copies of the charge sheet and after hearing the learned Public Prosecutor and the learned counsel for the accused, the charge was read over and explained to the accused. The accused pleaded not guilty. He claimed to be tried and as such, the trail was fixed.