KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Thursday sought the view of the state government on a petition filed by the mother of the Palathayi child abuse case victim, seeking to reconstitute the Special Investigation Team probing the case.
Expressing distrust in the investigation, the mother said she suspected political interference in the process. The petitioner said her minor daughter will not get justice from the present investigation team led by Inspector General of Police S Sreejith.
Though six months have passed since the team launched the investigation, there was no headway in the case. The delay in completing the investigation was deliberate and aimed at providing undue advantage to the accused, she said, adding that it goes against the POCSO Act which provides for expeditious investigation and trial.
The investigation team did not make any effort to rectify the anomalies and lapses pointed out by the public prosecutor. The victim has been subjected to mental torture and harassment many times by the counselors and police officers, she said in the petition.
The investigation team did not record the statement of the child by audio-video electronic means as specified under Section 26(4) of the Act and was manipulating statements in the name of the victim, she said. The petitioner also sought to restrain the SIT from submitting the final report before a POCSO court in Kasaragod.
K Padmarajan, a school teacher and local BJP leader, is the accused in the case. According to the complainant, the accused sexually abused the girl, studying in Class IV, when she went to the washroom of the school.