Kerala Government announces judicial probe into Walayar case

The Kerala Government, on Thursday, announced a judicial probe into the 2017 Walayar rape and death case. A cabinet meeting on Thursday appointed former vigilance tribunal judge S. Haneefa to probe the case. The Kerala High Court, on Thursday, agreed to hear an appeal filed by the state government seeking re-investigation and trial to be conducted into Walayar rape and death case. It further appealed for the court to send a notice to all the acquitted persons.

The case dates back to 2017

The case relates to the mysterious death and alleged sexual exploitation of two minor siblings at Walayar town in Palakkad district in 2017. The case involves the unnatural death of two sisters aged 13 years and nine years in their one-room house on January 13, 2017, and March 4, 2017, respectively. As per the police case, the girls committed suicide out of intolerable pain and agony caused by the multiple instances of unnatural sex. A POCSO court in Palakkad had, last month, acquitted three accused -- V Madhu, Shibu, and M Madhu -- in the case after the prosecution failed to establish their involvement in the crime.

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Terming the earlier probe as "ineffective", the State government had moved the court stating, "There was sexual assault in the first instance but no investigation was conducted into it. In the death case, the investigation was ineffective. The death of the second child could have been prevented if the death of the first child was duly investigated."

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The government, while negating the prosecution decision, further asserted that the police and prosecution did not consult them after submitting the final report in the case. It had on Monday removed the special public prosecutor as he could not present incriminating evidence against the accused which led to their acquittal.

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(With ANI Inputs)