Kerala govt moves HC against acquittal of accused in Walayar sisters death case

The Kerala government on Wednesday (November 20) filed an appeal in the Kerala High Court challenging the acquittal of the three accused in the Walayar sisters death case, saying the lower court verdict was “absolutely perverse and wholly unsustainable.”

The state government sought directions to call for the records of the case, set aside the sessions court judgment and convict the accused for the offences or order an investigation into the crime.

The government admitted that the police failed to conduct a foolproof investigation touching upon all areas that should have been covered. The move comes after the government announced in the state assembly that the public prosecutor who handled it has been removed and said a probe is on to identify lapses in the police inquiry, if any.

Also read: Walayar rape case puts Kerala CM in a spot

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had informed the state assembly that the government would go in for an appeal against the POCSO court order.

Two minor girls were found dead in Walayar. The elder child, aged 13, was found dead on January 13, 2017, and the younger child, aged nine, died 52 days later.

Their post-mortem reports had revealed that they had been sexually assaulted. The police had arrested the three accused, V Madhu, Shibu and M Madhu, and booked them under the Protection of Child against Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.

However, the probe that had been initiated concluded that the deaths of the two girls was due to suicide, even though evidence suggested otherwise. The three accused were acquitted soon after.