JUDGMENT :

In this appeal, Judgment and Order dated 27.04.2017/04.05.2017 passed by the II Addl. Sessions Judge at Kalaburagi in Special Case [POCSO] No.5/2014, convicting and sentencing the appellant for offences punishable under Sections 366, 372(2)(n) of IPC and Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 [hereinafter referred to as 'POCSO Act' for short] is under challenge.

2. I have heard the learned Counsel Sri. Mahantesh H. Desai, appearing for appellant and Sri. Gururaj V. Hasilkar, the learned High Court Government Pleader for respondent/State and perused the entire material and evidence on record.

3. Brief facts;

The first informant Sri. Narasappa-P.W.1 is a resident of Aasar Mohalla, Chittapur. He has 4 daughters and one son. His daughter/victim is aged about 17 years and she is prosecuting her studies in II year PUC. On 10.11.2013, at about 8.00 p.m., after dinner she went out of the house to clean the plate, but did not return. Complainant-P.W.1 along with his wife-Mahadevi-P.W.3 and another daughter Rekha-P.W.14 went in search of her, but she was not traced. Thereafter, when he made enquiry with his neighbour Khairunbee-P.W.4, she informed him a