M LOGANATHAN Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The appellant is the sole accused in S.C.No. 110 of 2013 on the file of the learned Sessions Judge, Mahila (Fast Track) Court, Erode stands convicted for offences under Sec. 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (In short, the POCSO Act ) and Sec. 377 I.P.C. He has been sentenced to undergo imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs. 1,05,000.00, in default to undergo simple imprisonment for one month for offence under Sec. 4 of the POCSO Act and to undergo imprisonment for life and to pay a fine of Rs. 5,000.00 in default to undergo simple imprisonment for one year for offence under Sec. 377 I.P.C. Challenging the said conviction and sentence, the appellant is before this Court with this Criminal Appeal.

(2.) The case of the prosecution, in brief, is as follows:-

(3.) P.W.1, being a poor woman, along with her husband, without knowing what to do next, went to the village elders and informed the occurrence to them. The villagers advised them to keep calm and cool as, it involved the life of an young girl. However, P.W. 1 got persuaded herself and later on she went to Kadathur Police Station, Erode, at 11.30 am on 11.10.2012 and made a complaint. Ex. P.1 is the complaint and Ex. P.20 is the F.I.R. P.W. 10, the then Sub Inspector of Police received the said complaint and forwarded both the documents viz., Exs.P.1 and P.20 to the Court, which were received by the learned Jurisdictional Magistrate at 10.00 pm on 11.10.2012.