Uncorroborated testimonies from child witnesses are insufficient for conviction; careful scrutiny and corroboration are required to uphold the integrity of justice in sexual offences.

1. The appellant is the sole accused in S.C.No.295 of 2003 on the file of the learned Assistant Sessions Judge, Gudiyattam. He stands convicted for the offences under S.377 (2 counts) and 376(2)(b) (2 counts) of IPC and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 10 years and to pay a fine of Rs.5,000/-, in default to undergo rigorous imprisonment for two years for each count for the offence under S.377 of IPC; and to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 10 years and to pay a fine of Rs.5,000/- in default to undergo rigorous imprisonment for two years for each count for the offence under S.376(2)(b) of IPC. Challenging the same, he is before this Court with this Appeal.

2. The case of the prosecution in brief is as follows: -
The appellant was the Headmaster at "Adi Dravida Welfare Primary School" in Pasumathur Village, Katpadi Taluk, Vellore District. P.Ws.1 to 10 were students of the said school and they were aged between 8 12 years respectively in the year 2002. According to the prosecution case, these 10 girls were either raped or subjected to unnatural offence in the store room of the school on various dates by the appellant. P.W. 11 is the mother of P.W. 1. On 02.10.2002 at about 1.00 p.m. when P.W. 15, the then Sub Inspector of Police attached to K.V.Kuppam Police Station was on duty, P.W.11 appeared and gave an information in writing (Ex.P.1) alleging that the appellant had taken her daughter P.W.2 - Selvarani, P.W.3 - Arulmozhi, P.W.4 - Sathya, P.W.5 - Jeevitha, and few other students on various dates and committed unnatural offences on them, outraged their modesty and also attempted to rape. On the basis of the said information (Ex.P.1) given by P.W.11, the then Sub Inspector of Police, P.W. 15 registered a case in Cr.No.382 of 2002 for the offences under S.352, S.377, S.376 r/w 511 of IPC.

3. P.W.17, who was the then Inspector of Police of K.V.Kuppam Police Station, took up the case for investigation on the very same day and he proceeded to the place of occurrence, prepared a rough sketch (Ex.P.23) in the presence of two witnesses. Then, he examined P.W.11 and P.W. 1 and recorded their statements. On the very same day, at about 2.30 p.m. he arrested the appellant and after following all legal formalities, he produced the appellant before the Judicial Magistrate for remand with a request to subject the appellant for medical examination. Accordingly, P.W.14, examined the appellant and offered opinion that he was capable of performing sex. Ex.P.12 is the Accident Register issued by him. Thereafter, P.W. 17 examined few more witnesses and recorded their statements. On 03.10.2002, he forwarded the alleged victims namely, P.W.8 Nethravathi, P.W.3 Arulmozhi, P.W.2 Selvarani, P.W.7 Divya, P.W.1 Indhuja and P.W.6 Komala to Government Hospital, Gudiyattam for medical examination to ascertain the fact as to whether the victims had been subjected to any sexual assault and also to know about their age. Similarly, on 04.10.2002, he forwarded P.W.9 Parimala, P.W.10 Mathialagi, P.W.5 Jeevitha and P.W.4 Sathya to such medical examination. P.Ws. 12 and 13 accordingly examined the victims and offered their respective opinion. Exs.P2 to P.11 are the Accident Registers issued by them. Then, P.W.17 examined the respective Medical Officers and obtained the medical certificates. On 22.10.2002, he gave a requisition for recording the statements of P.Ws