1. The appellant calls in question the legality, validity and propriety of the judgment and order dated 27.12.2006 passed by Special Judge [constituted under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (prevention of Atrocities) Act] {for brevity "the Act"}, Bilaspur, in Special Case No. 65/2004 convicting him for the offence punishable under Section 376 IPC and sentencing to undergo rigorous imprisonment for seven years and pay fine of Rs. 200 in default of payment of fine to further undergo rigorous imprisonment for on' year.

2. Factual matrix in narrow compass goes thus. On 16.3 .2004 a written report Ex. P-9 was lodged by the prosecutrix (PW -14) aged about 24 years at the relevant time, to the effect that the accused/appellant who was the classmate of her brother Abhishek Badge (PW-3) in Engineering College, Bilaspur and staying in her house, used to subject her to rape since November 2003, as a result of which she was carrying the pregnancy of three and a half months. Based on this written report, FIR (Ex. P-7) was registered against the accused/appellant for the offences under Sections 376 IPC as well as 3(2) (5) and 3 (1) (XII) of the Act and after completion of investi