JUDGMENT :

This Criminal Appeal has been filed against the Judgment in Spl.S.C.No.25 of 2017 dated 09.11.2018 passed by the learned Mahila Judge, (Sessions Judge), Salem.

2. Originally, the respondent police registered a case against the appellant for the offences punishable under Sections 506 (i) I.P.C and Sections 8 r/w 7, 3 r/w 4 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (in short 'POCSO' Act) and after investigation laid a charge sheet before the learned Sessions Judge, Mahalir Needhimandram for the offences punishable under Sections 451, 506(ii) I.P.C. and Section 4 and 8 of POCSO Act and Section 4 of Tamilnadu Women Harassment Act, 1998 and the learned Sessions Judge also taken the case on file in Spl.S.C.No.25 of 2017.

3. In order to prove the case of the prosecution before the trial Court, on the side of the prosecution as many as 18 witnesses were examined as P.W.1 to P.W.18 and 22 documents were marked as Exs.P1 to P22 and one material object was marked. On the side of the defence, no witnesses were examined and no documents were marked.

4. The learned Sessions Judge, after adverting to the materials placed on record and after hearing both the parties, by Judgm