Thiruvananthapuram: The parents of the two minor sisters, who were victims in the Walayar case have been named as accused in the final chargesheet submitted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to the CBI Court. The charges include abetment to rape under the POCSO Act and IPC. The mother of the girls has expressed their determination to continue the fight for justice despite the development.
According to sources, a 13-year-old girl was found dead in her house in Attapallam on January 7, 2017. Three months later, on March 4, her sister, a nine-year-old girl, was also found dead in the same house. The postmortem confirmed that the children had been sexually abused before their deaths, police sources said.
Initial Investigation and Chargesheet
The police initially filed a chargesheet on June 22, 2017, concluding that the sisters had died by suicide. Four individuals, V Madhu, M Madhu (alias Kuttimadhu), Shibu, and Pradeep Kumar were charged under IPC Section 305 (abetment to suicide), IPC Section 376 (rape), the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, POCSO, and the Juvenile Justice Act.
Acquittals and Appeal
On October 15, 2019, the Palakkad First Additional Sessions Court acquitted the third accused, Pradeep Kumar, due to lack of evidence. On October 25, 2019, the other accused M Madhu, and Shibu were acquitted for the same reason.
On November 19, 2019, the mother of the girls filed an appeal in the Kerala High Court, alleging lapses in the investigation and trial, and sought a retrial.
Suicide of Key Witness
During the investigation, Praveen (29), a young man called for questioning, died by suicide. His relatives alleged foul play in his death.
Protests and Public Outcry
On October 10, 2020, the parents of the girls staged a protest in front of the Kerala Secretariat, demanding action against the accused and those who sabotaged the investigation. They also protested at their homes in Palakkad, garnering support from leaders like Ramesh Chennithala and K Surendran.
A controversy arose when Scheduled Castes Minister A.K. Balan questioned the protests. The parents responded by marching to the minister's residence, after which discussions were held, and the government assured effective intervention.
CBI Intervention
Following court directives, the CBI took over the investigation. The High Court had earlier rejected a charge sheet filed against local residents, ordering a more detailed probe. Today, the CBI submitted its final chargesheet, naming the parents as accused in the case.
Ongoing Struggle for Justice
The mother of the girls, now accused in the chargesheet, stated that she will not stop her fight for justice.
