P MUTHULINGAM; VIJAYAKUMAR; CITTIBABU AND ORS Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The appellant in all these three criminal appeals are the accused in S.C.No.56 of 2012 on the file of the learned Principal District and Sessions Judge, Ariyalur and they stand convicted for an offence under Section 366 IPC and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of five years and to pay a fine of Rs.2,500/-, in default to undergo rigorous imprisonment for six months. Aggrieved by the said conviction and sentence, the appellants have preferred the above said criminal appeals before this Court.

(2.) These appeals are taken up for final hearing with the consent of both the parties since the learned counsel for the appellants submitted that the appellants are not challenging the conviction imposed upon them, but they plead for the reduction of the sentence of imprisonment imposed upon them. The learned counsel has also filed an affidavit of accused 1 to 5 except the second accused. The learned counsel has made an endorsement on behalf of the second accused that he too is confining his appeal only to the question of sentence.

(3.) The case of the prosecution, in brief, is that P.W.2, Revathy is the victim girl in this case. P.W.5 is the mother of P.W.2. P.W.1 is the junior paternal uncle of P.W.5. P.W.3 is the cousin of P.W.2. P.W.4 is also related to P.W.2.