IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 17.11.2025 CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE D.BHARATHA CHAKRAVARTHY Lakshmanan ...Petitioner Vs.

The State represented by Inspector of Police, South All Women Police Station, Tiruppur.

(Crime No.05 of 2019) ...Respondent Prayer: Criminal Revision Case filed under Section 397 r/w 401 of Code of Criminal Procedure, against the judgment dated 17.12.2021 made in Crl.A.No.49 of 2021 on the file of Principal Sessions Judge, Tiruppur confirming the judgment dated 30.07.2021 made in C.C.No.483 of 2019 on the file of Additional Mahila Court, (Magisterial Level), Tiruppur.

For Petitioner : Mr.C.Prabakaran For Respondent : Mr.S.Vinoth Kumar Government Advocate (Crl.side)

ORDER

This Criminal Revision is filed challenging the judgement of the learned Additional Mahila Court (Magisterial Level), Tiruppur made in C.C.No.483 of 2019 dated 30.07.2021 and the judgement of the Principal Sessions Judge, Tiruppur dated 17.12.2021 made in C.A.No.49 of 2021.

2. By the said judgement, the trial Court found the petitioner/accused guilty of an offence under section 354 (A)(1)(i) and 506(i) of Indian Penal Code. For the offence under Section 354 (A)(1)(i) and 506(i) of Indian Penal Code, the petitioner/accused was convicted and sentenced to undergo Rigorous Imprisonment for three years and to pay a fine of Rs.5,000/- and in defaut of payment of fine to undergo Simple Imprisonment for one month for offence under Section 354(A)(1)(i) and to undergo two years Rigorous Imprisonment for offence under Section 506(i) of IPC.

3. On 01.06.2019 at about 3:00 p.m., when P.W.8 was on duty at the All Women Police Station in Tiruppur South, P.W.1 came to the police station and lodged a complaint stating that he is married and lives with his wife, son, and daughter at the address mentioned in the complaint. He and his wife are employed. His daughter, the victim in this case, was working as a labourer at the Hoseiry Company. On 24.05.2019, she drank poison and was admitted to the Government Hospital, Tiruppur. Initially, when questioned, she said that she took poison because her mother scolded her. However, later, when her mother cajoled her and questioned her again, she disclosed that the Hoseiry Unit's owner's son had sexually harassed her and also committed sexual violence. He then threatened her not to tell anyone. Unable to endure this, she consumed poison.

4. On the strength of the said allegations, a case was registered in Crime No.05 of 2019 for the offence under Section 354(A)(i) and 506(i) of Indian Penal Code, 1860. Thereafter, P.W.9, the Inspector of Police took up the case for investigation and completed the investigation and filed a final report, proposing the accused guilty of the aforesaid offences. On 07.09.2019, two charges for the aforesaid offence were framed and upon being questioned, the accused denied the charges as false and stood trial.

5. The prosecution, in order to prove the charges, examined P.W.1, the father of the victim, who testified about the contents of the complaint and the incidents leading to the filing of the complaint. The victim was examined as P.W.2. She described how she was sexually harassed and stated that around 1:00 PM in May 2019, on a Wednesday, when she reported for work, the accused took her inside the company behind the screen where there is a pooja room and misbehaved with her. He did this three times. Unable to bear this, she consumed poison. She was afraid to tell her parents about it, so she went to her aunt's house. Her aunt repeatedly asked if there were any problems at work, but she did not want to disclose the incident. She explained that she consumed poison because her mother scolded her. She was also cross-examined in detail. Thereafter, she disclosed the incident to her mother. The victim’s mother was examined as P.W.3. She stated that she had to persuade her daughter to disclose the offence. The witness to the observation mahazar was examined as P.W.4. The witness