Walayar case: Kerala orders judicial probe

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After facing flak over the alleged shoddy police probe into the death of two minor dalit sisters, who were sexually exploited, the Kerala government on Thursday ordered a judicial inquiry into the sensational case in which all the accused were acquitted.

A decision in this regard was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The judicial inquiry would be conducted by former district judge P K Haneefa.

“The judicial commission will look into the lapses during the investigation or during the trial in the case, if any. Former District Judge and state Minority Commission Chairman P K Haneefa has been appointed,” Vijayan said in his Facebook post.

The Commission would submit a report suggesting action against those who are responsible for the lapses in the case, he said. POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) court had acquitted all the five accused in the case citing lack of evidence.

The opposition Congress led UDF had raised the issue in the assembly several times demanding an independent probe alleging that the accused were close to the ruling CPI(M). Meanwhile, KPCC President, Mullappally Ramachandran said the matter requires to be probed by the CBI.

“It’s not the judicial probe we want. We need a CBI investigation. Only the CBI can apprehend the real culprits in the matter... Congress party has been seeking a CBI enquiry from the beginning.