'Not a proud thing...': Kerala CM reacts to Vandiperiyar POCSO case verdict

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the verdict in the Vandiperiyar case acquitting the accused, Arjun for raping and killing a six-year-old girl was not a proud thing for the state.

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the verdict of the Vandiperiyar case acquitting the accused Arjun for raping and killing a six-year-old girl was not a proud thing for the state. The Chief Minister also informed that the case would be appealed to the High Court and said that what had happened should be investigated.

The Kattappana Fast Track Court had acquitted the accused, Arjun by stating that the prosecution could not prove the murder and rape. Special Public Prosecutor Sunil Maheshwaran Pillai said that he will file an appeal in the High Court as soon as he gets permission from the Director General of Prosecution. The prosecution claims that scientific evidence is needed against Arjun. At the same time, the court observed that there was a failure in the police investigation and the prosecution failed to prove the crime.

At the same time, investigating officer TD Sunil Kumar said that there was no failure in collecting evidence in the case of rape and strangulation of a six-year-old girl in Vandiperiyar. The forensic experts had reached the spot and collected evidence. The officials said with 100 percent certainty that there was no failure on the part of the police in the investigation.

The investigation team said that other aspects of the judgments are being examined. The team reached the spot after the information. The place was then sealed and secured. TD Sunilkumar said that the fingerprint experts, scientific experts, and photographers were also present the next morning.  Investigating officer TD Sunilkumar met with the prosecutor to decide the next course of action in the case.