IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 06.01.2026 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE SUNDER MOHAN & Crl.M.P.No.4004 of 2023 Kumar Vadivel S/o. Raji (late), D.No.14/140 J 6, Halan Nagar, Ketti, Ooty, Nilgiris.

Appellant(s)

Vs State by The Inspector of Police, All Women Police Station, Ooty Town, Nilgiris (Crime No.1 of 2020)

Respondent(s)

PRAYER This Criminal Appeal has been filed under Section 374(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code, to call for the records and set aside the Judgment dated 09.02.2023 made in Spl.C.C.No.25 of 2020 on the file of the learned Sessions Judge Magalir Neethimandram, (FTMC), Udhagamandalam at Nilgirison.

For Appellant(s): Mr. T.Dhamodharan For Respondent(s): Mr.S.Raja Kumar Additional Public Prosecutor

ORDER

The appeal challenges the conviction and sentence imposed on the appellant for the offences under Section 9(m) r/w 10 of the POCSO Act.

2(i) The gist of the prosecution case is that the appellant, who was a tailor, had committed sexual assault on the victim girl, who was 12 years old at the time of occurrence by inappropriately touching her private parts and kissing her chest and also fondling the other parts of her body, when the victim girl approached