JUDGMENT :

Heard Ms. Rosalynn L. Hmar, learned counsel for the appellant alongwith Mrs. Linda L. Fambawl, learned Addl. Public Prosecutor for respondent No.1 and Ms. Ruthi Vanlalhruaii, learned counsel for respondent No.2.

2. This is an appeal under Section 374 Cr.PC against the impugned Judgment & Order dated 07.11.2019 passed by the Special Judge, POCSO Act, Lunglei in connection with Crl.Tr. No. 459/2019 arising out of Lawntlai PS Case No.47/2017 under Section 4 of POCSO Act, 2012.

3. The brief facts of the prosecution story is that a written FIR was filed at the Police Station on 23.8.2017 by one X, D/o Vanlalsanga, of Lungpuk, stating that at about 9:00 Pm on 19.8.2017, when she went outside to use the toilet, the accused, S.T. Lalngamzova, forcibly took her to his house where he kept her the whole night and raped her twice. The next morning she escaped from a window. The delay in filing the report, the informant stated in the FIR, was because she had waited for word from her father on how to proceed in the mater. Lawngtlai Police Station Case No. 47/2017 dated 23.8.2017 under Section 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, was accordingly registered and i