JUDGMENT :

Heard the learned counsel for the appellant and the learned High Court Government Pleader for the respondent – State and perused the records.

2. The accused, who has suffered an order of conviction in Special Case (POCSO) No.21/2014 on the file of II Additional Sessions Judge, Kalaburagi vide judgment dated 11.12.2015 has preferred this appeal.

3. Brief facts of the case are as under:

A complaint came to be lodged by the victim girl with Malkhed police station on 14.03.2014 against the accused, which was registered in Crime No.31/2014 for the offences punishable under Sections 450 and 376 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (for short 'IPC') and under Sections 4 and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (for short 'POCSO Act'). In the complaint, it is contended that the victim girl was studying in 4th Standard and her parents have five daughters and she is the 3rd daughter. Her mother is a vegetable vendor and after completing her business, she comes late in the night and therefore, without locking the door from inside, the daughters used to sleep in the house. On 13.03.2014, as usual, the victim girl and her sisters after finishing the dinner closed the