Former BJP leader sentenced to life in POCSO case

The Thalassery Protection of Children Sexual Offences (POCSO) Special Court has sentenced erstwhile Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) person and teacher K. Padmarajan to beingness imprisonment and fined him ₹2 lakh for sexually assaulting a 4th people pupil successful Palathayi, Panoor. He received a full of 40 years of imprisonment – 20 each for 2 abstracted POCSO offences – and directed the condemnation to tally concurrently. His bail was revoked and helium was shifted to Thalassery sub-jail.

Judge M.T. Jalaja Raini of the peculiar POCSO tribunal delivered the verdict connected Saturday aft uncovering Padmarajan blameworthy of offences nether rape and POCSO charges. Prosecutor P. Bhasuri appeared for the prosecution. The transgression took spot successful January 2020, erstwhile Padmarajan, past a teacher and president of the Thrippangottur panchayat, sexually assaulted the pupil 3 times.

The defence argued that the accused was not astatine the schoolhouse during the alleged play and questioned the child’s statement, but the tribunal dismissed these claims, uncovering the child’s grounds credible.

The proceedings began connected February 23, 2024, earlier justice T.T. George and continued nether judges B. Sreeja and aboriginal M.T. Jalaja Rani. The prosecution examined 40 witnesses and presented 77 documents and 14 exhibits, portion the defence presented 3 witnesses

The lawsuit began with a ailment from the girl’s mother, starring to the Panoor constabulary registering a lawsuit against Padmarajan connected March 17, 2020. He was arrested connected April 15 and the probe was transferred to the Crime Branch connected April 24. The lawsuit changed hands 5 times, with the Crime Branch filing the last complaint expanse successful May 2021, which included POCSO sections..

During sentencing arguments, the defence sought leniency citing the accused’s property and household situation, portion claiming governmental information down the case. The court, however, stated that the judgement was based solely connected the merits and severity of the crime.

The lawsuit attracted governmental attraction owed to the accused’s relation with the BJP and the aggregate changes successful the investigating teams.

Palaythayi verdict a stroke to mendacious propaganda: CPI(M)

The CPI(M) said the verdict is simply a beardown rebuke to those who dispersed mendacious propaganda against the party.

CPI(M) territory caput K.K. Ragesh said that the judgement exposed those who attempted to malign the CPI(M). He said that erstwhile the incidental occurred, Congress, BJP, SDPI and different extremist groups tried to usage the lawsuit to onslaught the CPI(M). Some mainstream and societal media outlets, helium alleged, collaborated with mendacious campaigners to disturbance nationalist choler against the party. While 1 radical tried to whitewash the crime, different attempted to ignite communal tensions for governmental gain, but some shared the aforesaid motive- to people the CPI(M).

Mr. Ragesh said the court’s stern condemnation proves that the allegations and narratives built by the Opposition and mendacious quality spreaders were baseless. He said they should present apologise.

The CPI(M) person besides stressed that the punishment came lone aft a just grounds based investigation. The enactment extended by Sangh Parivar organisations to the accused successful a POCSO case, helium added is alarming and sends a unsafe connection to society.