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Kannur, November 15 (IANS) Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and teacher K was arrested on Saturday in connection with the sexual harassment case of a class 4 girl in Palathayi, Kannur, Kerala. Padmarajan has been sentenced to life imprisonment with fine.
He has also been sentenced to 40 years’ imprisonment under POCSO charges.
The sentence was pronounced by the Thalassery fast-track POCSO court.
The court had found Padmarajan guilty on Friday.
The crime proven against him carries a maximum punishment of 20 years to life imprisonment.
The case had created political controversy as the investigation team was changed five times and POCSO sections were not included in the interim chargesheet.
The charges against the accused include offenses under section 376AB (rape), and the POCSO Act.
Padmarajan was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl inside and outside her school in Palathayi, Kannur, on three occasions between January and February 2020.
The complaint against the teacher was handed over to the Thalassery Deputy Superintendent of Police by the Panoor police.
Preliminary police investigation had concluded that the complaint was false.
However, there was strong public protest over the lack of action against the accused.
On April 15, 2020, Padmarajan was arrested from a relative’s house where he was hiding.
Later the investigation was transferred to the crime branch.
Without including POCSO charges, the crime branch filed the charge sheet just hours before the 90-day deadline expired.
After the case was handled by five different investigation teams, the final chargesheet was submitted in May 2021.
In February 2024, the trial began and the Thalassery POCSO Court ultimately found the accused guilty.
The prosecution had on Friday said that the victim got justice on Children’s Day (November 14) and the accused deserved maximum punishment.
Before the sentencing, the prosecution on Saturday again urged the court to impose the harshest punishment.
The defense said that the case was politically motivated.
Padmarajan appealed for leniency saying that he has a family, which includes his wife, children and mother.
The court replied that it had only examined the merits of the case.
Meanwhile, senior CPI-M leader and former MLA MV Jayarajan lauded the court’s decision and said there was nothing political in the order.
–IANS
SG/KHz