The Kerala government has filed an appeal in the Kerala High Court against the acquittal of a 24-year-old youth who was accused of raping and murdering a six-year-old girl in Vandiperiyar, Idukki district . The accused was acquitted by the Kattappana Special Court for the cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act . The State government has submitted that the special court had failed to appreciate the evidence adduced by the prosecution in its correct perspective and the acquittal of the accused was against the evidence 1. The State government has also pointed out that the special court had cast very wide aspersions against the investigation officer without any material on record .
The incident took place on June 30, 2019, when the victim was playing outside her house . The accused, who was a neighbor of the victim, lured her with chocolates and took her to a nearby forest where he raped and murdered her 2. The accused was arrested on July 1, 2019, and was charged under the POCSO Act .
The trial in the case began on February 17, 2020, and the verdict was delivered on December 14, 2023 The special court acquitted the accused citing lack of evidence . The verdict has sparked outrage across the state, with many people demanding justice for the victim .
The State government’s decision to file an appeal against the acquittal of the accused has been welcomed by many people . The appeal seeks to set aside the Special Court’s verdict and bring the accused to justice
The judge in the Vandiperiyar minor rape-murder case was Judge Manju V of the Special Court for POCSO cases in Kattapana
What is POSCO act ?
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act (POCSO) is a law enacted by the Indian Parliament in 2012 to protect children from sexual abuse, harassment, and pornography.The
act provides a legal framework for the protection of children from
sexual offenses and safeguards the interests of the child at every stage
of the judicial process.The act also mandates the establishment of special courts for the trial of such offenses and related matters and incidents .The act is applicable to all persons irrespective of their gender and sexual orientation