JUDGMENT :

1. This Criminal Appeal has been filed against the Judgment dated 21.12.2018 in Spl.S.C.No.52 of 2016 on the file of the learned Sessions Judge, Mahalir Court, Vellore District, Vellore.

2.The case of the prosecution is that on 18.10.2015, at 7.45 p.m., when the victim girl was going to church, the appellants with a sexual intention, forcibly pulled her and dragged her shawl and by stuffing of cloth in her mouth, took the victim girl into a hidden place and the first appellant removed her clothes and committed sexual assault with the victim girl, the appellants 2 to 4 have abetted for commission of alleged offence. When she raised screaming voice, the old man Panneer, came to the place of occurrence and the accused/appellants left the place. At the time one Manikandan, who came over and took the victim girl (P.W.4) to her house and handed over to her uncle. Thereafter, on enquiry she revealed the same to her mother and uncle. Thereafter, they preferred a complaint (Ex.P.5) to the respondent police.

3.The respondent police registered a case in Crime No.5 of 2015 against the appellants for the offence punishable under Section 341, 376 IPC and Section 4 of The Protection of Ch