JUDGMENT

P.B.Suresh Kumar, J.

This appeal is directed against the conviction of the appellant and the sentence imposed on him in S.C.No.1016 of 2014 on the files of the Sessions Court, Thiruvananthapuram.

The appellant is the sole accused in the case.

2. The accusation against the appellant in the police report is that he has committed rape on his minor daughter, who was residing in a Child Care Home after the death of her mother, during September 2011 and December 2013, when the accused was permitted to take her to their house from the Child Care Home. The offences alleged against the accused are the offences punishable under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (the IPC ) and Section 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act , 2012 (the POCSO Act).

3. On the accused pleading not guilty of the charges framed against him, the prosecution examined 18 witnesses as PW1 to PW18 and proved 21 documents as Exts.P1 to P21. The prosecution has also caused the witnesses examined on its side to identify MO1 to MO3 material objects.

4. The accused was thereupon questioned under Section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (the Code) as regards the incriminating evidence brought