Palathayi sexual abuse case: POCSO charged on Kerala BJP leader

Kannur-Kerala: The Kerala police submitted a charge sheet against BJP leader K Padmarajan in the Palathayi child sexual abuse case in Thalassery district and sessions court today. The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POSCO) has also been charged on him in the newly submitted charge sheet. The earlier charge sheet had excluded the Protection of Children from the Sexual Offences Act.

The BJP leader, who earlier worked as a school teacher, is accused of sexually harassing a girl in class 4 studying in a school in Palathayi in Kannur district, reported The News Minute.

The Special Investigation Team monitored by the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) EJ Jayaraj and led by Taliparamba Deputy Superintendent of Police TK Rathnakumar conducted another probe into the matter before dealing with controversy sparked by excluding the POCSO charges.

He was initially arrested under POCSO and IPC, but the charges changed when the crime branch took over the case. The crime branch team was headed by S Sreejith, Inspector General of Police. The exclusion of POCSO charges led to the accused being released on bail.

Kerala High Court ordered to reconstitute the special investigation team in October 2020. A month later, another team was formed. The victim's parents filed a plea in High Court saying that they do not have faith in S Sreejith.

An alleged audio clip in S Sreejith justifying the removal of POCSO sections also emerged amid controversy. He was heard blaming the action on contradictory statements from the survivor regarding the dates of the assault. He has stepped down after receiving criticism, said the TNM report.