IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJA VIJAYARAGHAVAN V &

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE P. V. BALAKRISHNAN TH WEDNESDAY, THE 19 DAY OF FEBRUARY 2025 / 30TH MAGHA, 1946 CRL.A NO. 882 OF 2020 AGAINST THE JUDGMENT DATED 25.06.2020 IN SC NO.196 OF 2016 OF SPECIAL COURT FOR TRIAL OF OFFENCES UNDER POCSO ACT & CHILDREN’S COURT (ADDITIONAL SESSIONS COURT-I), KALPETTA, WAYANAD APPELLANT/ACCUSED:

XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX, BY ADV T.G.RAJENDRAN RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT:

STATE OF KERALA REP. BY THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KERALA -682 031 BY SRI. RENJITH T.R., SENIOR PUBLIC PROSECUTOR THIS CRIMINAL APPEAL HAVING COME UP FOR FINAL HEARING ON

19.02.2025, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:

J U D G M E N T

Raja Vijayaraghavan, J.

The above appeal is directed against the judgment dated 25.06.2020 in S.C.

No.196 of 2016 on the file of the Special Court for Trial of Offences under POCSO Act & Children’s Court (Additional Sessions Court-I), Kalpetta, Wayanad. The appellant was charged for having committed the offences punishable under Section 376(2)(f) and (n) and 506 (i) of the Indian Penal Code(hereinafter referred to as IPC) and Sections 5(j)