(Order of the Court was delivered by SUNDER MOHAN,J.

These Criminal Appeals have been filed by Accused Nos.1,2,3,4 and 5, challenging the conviction and sentence imposed upon them vide judgment dated 21.03.2019 in Spl.S.C.No.1 of 2014, on the file of the learned Sessions Judge, Mahila Court, Salem.

2. For the sake of convenience, the parties are referred to as per their ranking before the trial Court.

3. (i) It is the case of the prosecution that A1 was working as a conductor in a bus; that he was in the habit of being friendly with the girls who travelled in the bus; that he was a Panchayat Member, running a shop and used to give Chocolates and Stationery to school children on the occasion of Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations; that he used to lure girl children and indulge in sexual assaults; that the victim was studying fifth standard at Chendrampalayam Primary School and whenever, she vi