JUDGMENT :

P. VELMURUGAN, J.

1. This Criminal Appeal has been filed against the Judgment of conviction and sentence, dated 30.10.2017 in Spl. S.C. No. 21 of 2016 by the learned Sessions Judge (Mahila Court), Perambalur.

2. Based on the complaint given by the Child Welfare Committee, the respondent-police registered a case in Crime No. 96 of 2016 against the appellant/A1 and one another/A2 for the offences under Section 5(P) punishable under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 [hereafter referred to as ‘POCSO Act’] and Section 7 punishable under Section 8 of the POCSO Act r/w Section 17 of the POCSO Act. On completion of investigation, the respondent police filed a charge sheet before the learned Sessions Judge (Mahila Court), Perambalur. Since the offences were against the children, the learned Sessions Judge taken the charge sheet on file in Spl. S.C. No. 21 of 2016 and after completing the formalities, framed charges against the first accused/appellant herein for the offences under Section 5(P) punishable under Section 6 of POCSO Act and Section 7 punishable under Section 8 of the POCSO Act and framed charges against the second accused for the offe