THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has assured that the state government will take all steps to ensure justice to the family of two minor Dalit siblings in Walayar, who were found dead under mysterious circumstances after being allegedly abused sexually. Asked about the family’s charge that the CM had cheated them, Pinarayi said it was not his stance as a Chief Minister to cheat anyone.
“The government is of the firm resolve that the mother of the victims should get justice. We stand with the family,” he said. Pinarayi said the government had tried all this while to fulfil the promise given to the parents of the Walayar siblings. He said the government took the lead in the legal battle against the acquittal of the accused by a Pocso court. He said the court ordered the arrest of the acquitted persons following a demand by the state government.
Pinarayi said a fresh probe into the case by another agency was not legally possible after acquittal of the accused. However, further probe can be demanded if the trial court’s order is quashed and a re-trial is ordered. Taking into account the delay in considering the appeal against the trial court verdict, the government had urged the High Court to fast-track the case. Accordingly, the case will be considered on November 19, Pinarayi said. He said the report of the P K Haneefa Commission that inquired into the lapses in the case, has been tabled in the assembly. Pinarayi said the special prosecutors who appeared in the trail court have been removed and stronger action will be taken against police officials found guilty by the Commission.
Chennithala disowned AiCC to attack govt:
CM Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has disowned his own party’s central leadership’s stand on central agencies’ probe into various scams. He has taken an opposing stand only to criticise the state government, said the Chief Minister. Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi had congratulated the state government’s efforts in combating the pandemic. He had also alleged that the Central agencies are being pressurised to conduct probes which will only lead to their destruction. But, taking an exception to these comments, Chennithala and KPCC President Mullappally Ramachandran said the former party president was referring to the investigations against Central leaders and that it was not state specific.
On Monday, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, in a newspaper article, had criticised the Centre over Central agencies’ probe. “Recently a state BJP leader had claimed that the BJP and the Congress have the same stand regarding various scams. From the BJP leader’s claim, it is clear that the Congress and the BJP have an unholy nexus,” Pinarayi said. He also urged the Congress leadership to abstain from making such open statements