JUDGMENT/ORDER

1. The challenge in this appeal is to the judgment and order of conviction and consequential sentence dtd. 12/8/2022, passed by Additional Sessions Judge, Ambajogai in Spl. POCSO Case No.24/2017. By the impugned judgment and order, the appellant herein, a 20 year old boy then, has been convicted for the offence punishable under Sec. 376(2)(i) of the Indian Penal Code and under Sec. 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and therefore sentenced to suffer rigorous imprisonment for 10 years and to pay fine of Rs.1.00 Lakh with default stipulation.

2. The facts in brief giving rise to the present appeal are as follows :- It is a case of the prosecution that, P.W.3 (victim) was little over 16 years of age in June 2017. On 25/4/2017, she was passing by the bus stand. The appellant and his friend (acquitted accused) came in a Scorpio vehicle. They forcibly took her in the car. She was taken to some other village, Talegaon Dabnhade. The appellant took a room on rent. He made the victim stay with him in the said room. Whenever he used to go out of the room, he would bolt the entrance door of the room from outside, confining the victim in. During their such sta