IDUKKI: The Kattappana Fast Track Special Court on Thursday acquitted the accused in the rape and murder of a six-year-old girl at Vandiperiyar in Idukki in 2021, citing lack of clinching evidence and “glaring lapses” in the probe.
BJP and Congress protested against the verdict alleging CPM’s attempt to protect Arjun, 24, the accused, highlighting his connection with DYFI. Even CPI, CPM’s ally in the ruling LDF, termed the verdict shocking. CPM assured to provide the required legal support to the girl’s family.
The victim’s parents, who broke down after hearing the judgment, alleged influence behind the verdict. “The girl was born to her parents after a 14-year wait. However, he (Arjun) killed her ruthlessly and hung her in our prayer room. How can we forgive him? If this happened to your child, would you be able to endure the pain? Where is the justice?” the child’s grandmother said outside the court.
Defence lawyer S K Adityan maintained the police intentionally nabbed and arraigned an innocent just because he had a DYFI link. “Due to improper probe by the police, a youngster lost two precious years of his life. He was ill-treated, assaulted and forcibly made accused,” he said.
Adityan said since Arjun was not the real accused, the prosecution could not produce valid scientific proof, resulting in the verdict in his favour. “We will demand a detailed probe to nab the real culprit and seek compensation for the physical and mental hardship Arjun faced,” Adityan said.
Public prosecutor Sunil Maheswar Pillai said they will appeal the verdict. “The accused got enough time to destroy evidence. There was a dearth of DNA samples to ascertain he committed the crime. There were no lapses by the probe team,” Pillai told reporters.
Following the verdict, Congress and the BJP local unit members took out separate marches to the Vandiperiyar police station.
Cong, BJP allege political intervention to save Arjun
Terming the verdict disappointing, BJP district general secretary B S Ratheesh said there had been attempts by the CPM to protect Arjun right from the start. “CPM MLA Vazhoor Soman intervened initially to prevent the child’s autopsy. The verdict shows the prosecution failed to produce necessary scientific evidence, which hints at political intervention to protect the accused,” Ratheesh alleged.
Rejecting the charge, Soman said some people were spreading fake news about him. The Peermade MLA said he had written to the CM on August 8, 2021, requesting the appointment of a public prosecutor based on which Sunil Maheswar Pillai was appointed on August 31. “The verdict has come against expectations. I have written to the CM again demanding re-investigation,” he said.
UDF district chairman Joy Vettikuzhy said, “The police could not file the FIR properly due to political pressure. The leaders and cops who worked to protect the accused do not deserve forgiveness from the public,” Vettikuzhy said.
Former DYFI Peermade block secretary Ramaraj told TNIE that Arjun had never been an active member of the party. “He only took part in some relief works held under the leadership of DYFI Churakkulam unit in 2018. The party, be it DYFI or CPM, will never support someone who did cruelty to a girl child,” Ramraj said CPI Idukki district secretary K Saleem Kumar termed the verdict shocking. “Even before the court pronounced the verdict, the girl’s parents and defence lawyer had said the accused will be acquitted. There is mystery in their statements and the court’s verdict. We demand the HC’s intervention and a re-investigation to ensure justice to the family,” he said.
CPM district secretary C V Varghese said the party will provide all legal support to the girl’s family. “The court acquitting the accused was unfortunate. We will do whatever is possible for a re-investigation,” he said.
CASE DIARY
The six-year-old girl was found strangled in Vandiperiyar’s Churakkulam estate on June 30, 2021. Her parents had gone for work when the crime occurred. The autopsy revealed she had been sexually tortured before being killed. The police nabbed Arjun and said he had been abusing the girl since she was three. A team led by Vandiperiyar CI T D Sunil Kumar probed the crime and filed the chargesheet on September 21, 2021. Arjun was booked under the IPC and Pocso Act. The trial began in May 2022. As many as 48 witnesses were examined and over 69 documents and 16 items were submitted as evidence. A new judge took charge amid the trial, which, it is believed, came as a setback for the prosecution
Compensation
The court also asked the Thodupuzha District Legal Services Authority to
provide adequate compensation to the deceased girl’s parents