The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to forthwith take over further investigation into the death of two minor girls at Walayar in Palakkad.
Justice V.G. Arun also directed the State Police Chief to take immediate measures for entrusting all files, records, and other material relating to the cases with the CBI. The court directed the State government to provide all logistical support to the CBI for conducting further investigation in an unhindered manner.
The court passed the directives while disposing of a petition filed by the mother of the two girls, who died by suicide, seeking a court-monitored investigation by the CBI into the deaths. When the petition came up for hearing, senior public prosecutor Suman Chakravarthy submitted that all documents relating to the cases had been handed over to the Centre as undertaken during the last hearing.
Feasibility report
Additional Solicitor General P. Vijayakumar submitted that the Centre had sought a feasibility report from the CBI and a decision on the CBI probe would be taken on receiving the report.
The mother of the girls had complained in her petition that the government had given its consent for a CBI probe only into the death of her elder daughter.
However, during the hearing on the petition, the government had submitted that the investigation into both the deaths would be entrusted with the CBI.
While the petitioner’s 13-year-old daughter was found dead hanging on January 13, 2017, her nine-year-old daughter died by suicide on March 4 at her house.
The special court for POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) cases had acquitted all the accused on the ground that the prosecution failed miserably to prove the charge against them.
Fresh trial
However, the High Court set aside the acquittal and sent back the case for a fresh trial. The government later decided to entrust the investigation to the CBI following a public outcry over the lapses in police investigation.
