Kerala govt moves HC against acquittal of accused in Walayar sisters death case

Kerala government on Wednesday filed an appeal in the Kerala High Court seeking re-investigation and retrial in the controversial case of rape and murder of two minor girls in Walayar in 2017. The two minor girls, who were sisters, were found hanging after being sexually assaulted in January and March 2017 in Attappalam in Walayar.

Kochi:The Kerala government on Wednesday filed an appeal in the high court, challenging the acquittal of the accused in the Walayar sisters' death case, saying the lower court verdict was "absolutely perverse and wholly unsustainable."

The state government sought a direction to call for the records of the case, set aside the sessions court judgment and convict the accused for the offenses or order an investigation into the crime.

The government admitted that the police failed to conduct a foolproof investigation touching upon all areas, which should have been covered.

The move comes after the government announced in the state assembly that the public prosecutor who handled it has been removed and said a probe is on to identify lapses in the police inquiry if any.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had informed the state assembly that the government would go in for an appeal against the POCSO court order.

Two minor girls were found dead in Walayar. The elder child, aged 13, was found dead on January 13, 2017, and the younger child, aged nine, died 52 days later.