KOCHI: The state government has declined the request of the mother of the Walayar rape case victims to withhold the integrity certificate to Superintendent of Police (SP) M J Sojan for the conferment of IPS.
He first investigated the case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and filed a chargesheet at the court.
In an August 18 Government Order, it was stated that when the government earlier granted an integrity certificate to Sojan, it also took into account the Walayar case. The certificate is issued after assessing the work and conduct of the officer and private complaints have no role in it. Also, the State Police Chief reported that the general reputation of the officer was good and he was an honest officer. Last year, the victims’ mother, V Bhagyavathy, approached the Kerala High Court against Sojan who was being considered for conferment of IPS. She claimed that Sojan had made a derogatory statement against her daughters before a TV channel and so no integrity certificate should be issued to him.
Considering the petition, Justice Devan Ramachandran directed the state government, chief secretary and home secretary to hear Bhagyavathy and Sojan to take a stand.
Bhagyavathy and Sojan were heard on July 26. She submitted a pendrive containing an audio clip of Sojan’s alleged derogatory remarks against the victims. Sojan denied the allegation.
He said the voice clip was broadcast in January 2019. However, the case was registered in 2021. Similarly, in the so-called video, neither Sojan nor the TV reporter is seen. No action should be taken against him based on Bhagyavathy’s complaint, he said.
“Moreover, Bhagyavathy has not produced any substantial evidence at the time of the hearing to revoke the integrity certificate issued to Sojan, Hence, based on the request of Bhagyavathy the integrity certificate already granted to Sojan for IPS promotion for the vacancies in the year 2021 and 2022 need not be revised,” stated the Government Order.
Earlier, the state government had withheld the integrity certificate from Sojan considering pending cases. One was over the death of a man named Narayanan Nair while working as Sub Inspector at Kunnamkulam Police Station in 2001 and the other was a case pending against him at the Additional District Sessions Court Palakkad over the remarks made against the victims. In the Palakkad court case, Sojan obtained an order staying further proceedings from Kerala High Court. In the case pertaining to the death of Narayanan, the state government has yet to give a prosecution sanction against Sojan.