XXX Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This appeal has been preferred under Ss. 374(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure by the accused in S.C. No. 726/2014 on the file of the 1st Additional District and Sessions Judge, Kollam (for short, the court below) challenging the judgment of conviction and sentence dtd. 6/10/2017.

(2.) The accused faced trial for the offence punishable under Sec. 9(n) r/w 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (for short, POCSO Act).

(3.) The victim was a minor girl aged 15 years at the time of the incident. The accused is none other than the father of the victim. The prosecution case in short is that during the year 2006 and on 30/5/2014 at about 11 p.m., and also on 2/6/2014 at 2 a.m. in the night, the accused sexually assaulted the victim at their house at Pathanapuram.