IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 6^TH DAY OF MARCH, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.G.S. KAMAL CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 1279 OF 2023 (C)

BETWEEN:

KUMARA S/O SHESHAPPA GOWDA AGED ABOUT 31 YEARS R/AT DEVUKUDRU HOUSE ASHWATHPURA POST THENKA MIJARU VILLAGE MOODABIDRE TALUK D K DISTRICT - 574 227.

…APPELLANT (BY SRI. PRATHEEP K C.,ADVOCATE)

AND:

1. STATE OF KARNATAKA STATE BY MOODABIDRE POLICE REP BY ITS STATE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA Digitally signed BANGALORE - 560 001.

by SUMA B N Location: HIGH COURT OF 2. SMT. MEENAKSHI KARNATAKA W/O LATE GOPALA GOWDA AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS R/AT DEVAKUDRU MANE THENKAMIJARU VILLAGE ASHWATHPURA POST MUDABIDRE TALUK D K DISTRICT -560 056.

…RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. VINAY MAHADEVAIAH., HCGP FOR R1;

SMT. G.M. SUMITHRA., ADVOCATE FOR R2)

THIS CRIMINAL APPEAL IS FILED U/S.374(2) CR.P.C PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE JUDGMENT DATED 26.12.2022 ON THE FILE OF THE ADDL.DISTRICT AND SESSIONS JUDGE, / FTSC II (POCSO) D.K., MANGALURU IN SPL.C.NO.176/2021, CONVICTING THE APPELLANT/ACCUSED FOR THE OFFENCE P/U/S 4 OF THE POCSO ACT R/W SEC.341,506 OF THE IPC.

THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR FINAL HEARING, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.G.S. KAMAL

ORAL JUDGMENT

This appeal is by the accused/appellant being aggrieved by the judgment and order dated 26.12.2022 passed in Special Case No.176/2021, on the file of Additional District and Sessions Judge/ FTSC-II (POCSO), D.K., Mangaluru, by which he has been convicted and sentenced for the offences punishable under Section 341, 376, 506 of IPC read with Sections 4 and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 (hereinafter referred to as 'the POCSO Act').

2. A complaint dated 09.08.2021 came to be filed at

05.15 p.m. by the victim before the Moodabidre Police Station contents of which are as under:

. , '' (cid:3)ಾನುಈ(cid:8)ೕ(cid:10)ನ(cid:11)(cid:12)ಾಸದ(cid:10)(cid:15)ನನ(cid:16)(cid:17)ಾ(cid:18)(cid:19)(cid:20)ೕಮ(cid:22)(cid:23)ೕ(cid:3)ಾ(cid:24)(cid:3)ಾನು

ತಮ(cid:26)(cid:27)ಾ(cid:22)(cid:28)(cid:29)(cid:3)ೊಂ!"ೆ#ಾಸ#ಾ$ದು%(cid:17)ಾ(cid:18)ಕೂ(cid:10)(cid:27)ೆಲಸ(ಾಡು(cid:22)*ದು%(cid:3)ಾನು

10 .

+ೕ(cid:27)ೆ(cid:28),ೆಸರ(cid:27)ಾ./ೌ(cid:20)ಢ2ಾ3ೆಯ(cid:10)(cid:15) (cid:3)ೇತರಗ(cid:22)ಯ(cid:10)(cid:15)ಕ(cid:10)ಯು(cid:22)*6ೆ%ೕ(cid:3)ೆ ನನ(cid:16)

5 .

ತಮ(cid:26) +ೕ(cid:27)ೆ(cid:28),ೆ 2ಾ3ೆಯ(cid:10)(cid:15) (cid:3)ೇ ತರಗ(cid:22)ಯ(cid:10)(cid:15) ಕ(cid:10)ಯು(cid:22)*6ಾ%(cid:3)ೆ ನನ(cid:16) ತಂ6ೆ

4 .

ಸು(ಾರು ವಷ(cid:28)ಗಳ:ಂ6ೆಮೃತಪ=>ರು(cid:17)ಾ*,ೆ

09.08.2021 (cid:3)ಾನುಈ!ನ!(cid:3)ಾಂಕ ರಂದು?ೆಳ"ೆ@ನಮ(cid:26)ಆB3ೈB

2ಾ3ಾವ(cid:29)(cid:28)(cid:19)ೕಟನು(cid:16)+ೕಡುವ,ೇನನ(cid:16)"ೆಳ(cid:22)(cid:3)ೆ,ೆಮ(cid:3)ೆಯ!ೕEಾ(cid:12)ೆFಂ!"ೆ?ೆಳ"ೆ@

09.30 .

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12.45

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.

SಕTಪUಕು(ಾVರವರುಕುW(cid:22)ದ%ರು (cid:3)ಾನುನನ(cid:16)"ೆಳ(cid:22)!ೕEಾ(cid:12)ೆFಂ!"ೆನನ"ೆ

.

(cid:27)ೆಲವXಬ,ೆಯುವಪXಸ*ಕಗಳY?ೇ(cid:27)ಾ$ದು%ದ.ಂದಅ3ೆ(cid:15)ೕಇದ%ಅಂಗJ"ೆIೋ6ೆವX .

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ನನ(cid:16)"ೆಳ(cid:22)!ೕEಾಳ(cid:10)(cid:15) +ನ"ೆಎಷು>(cid:27)ೆಲಸಇ6ೆಅಷು>(ಾಡು+ೕನು[ೕ6ಾ +ನ(cid:16)

" .

ಮ(cid:3)ೆ"ೆIೋಗು(cid:3)ಾನುಅವಳSಕTಪU ಎಂದು\ೋರು(ಾJದನುಇದನು(cid:16)(cid:27)ೇWದ .

!ೕEಾಳYIೆದ.#ೇಗ#ಾ$ಅ(cid:10)(cid:15)ಂದಓJIೋದಳY ಅಷ>ರ(cid:10)(cid:15)ನನ(cid:16)SಕTಪUಅ3ೆ(cid:15)ೕ ಇದ% ಓ_‘ಂದರ ಪಕTದ(cid:10)(cid:15) ನನ(cid:16)ನು(cid:16) ತHೆದು +(cid:10)(cid:15)[ ನನ(cid:16) aೕB ನಂಬ(cid:20)

.

(cid:27)ೊಡ?ೇ(cid:27)ೆಂದು ಒ(cid:17)ಾ*(cid:18)[ದನು (cid:3)ಾನು (cid:27)ೊಡ!6ಾ%ಗ ನನ(cid:16) (cid:27)ೈಯನು(cid:16) :Jದು

150 ಎ(cid:12)ೆದು+ೕ(ci