Kerala School Teacher Sentenced to Life for Raping 10-Year-Old Student: Justice Served in Landmark POCSO Case

A total of 42 witnesses and 91 documents were examined during the trial of this severe child abuse case.

Kannur:

On Saturday, a school teacher who was also affiliated with the BJP was sentenced to life imprisonment by a court for raping a 10-year-old girl in Palathayi, Kannur.

Judge Jalarajani M T of the Thalassery Fast Track Special Court found Padmarajan K, also known as Pappen Master (48), from Kadavathoor, guilty of repeatedly sexually assaulting the minor child between January and February 2020 while employed as a teacher at a Palathayi school.

The court imposed a life imprisonment sentence and a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Padmarajan under IPC section 376AB (rape of a girl below 12 years).

Additionally, he received 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and Rs 50,000 fines under each of sections 5(f) (penetrative sexual assault on a child) and 5(l) (penetrative sexual assault on a child more than once) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Though found guilty under IPC section 376(2)(f) (rape by a person in a position of trust or authority) and section 5(m) (penetrative sexual assault on a child below 12 years) of the POCSO Act, the court decided not to impose separate sentences for these offenses.

The court ordered that the POCSO Act sentences be served first, followed by the life imprisonment term.

The victim will receive the fine amount, and the District Legal Services Authority has been instructed to conduct an inquiry and recommend appropriate compensation.

Before the sentencing, Padmarajan requested leniency, claiming to be the sole breadwinner of his family, but the prosecution argued that the heinous nature of the crime warranted severe punishment.

Following sentencing, Padmarajan was transferred to Kannur Central Prison.

According to the prosecution, the 10-year-old student was sexually assaulted by Padmarajan both in the educational institution's toilet and at his residence.

On March 17, 2020, Panoor police registered a case and arrested the accused on April 15.

The BJP claimed that the case was part of a conspiracy orchestrated by the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).

The case was subsequently transferred to the Crime Branch, which initially omitted POCSO charges, allowing the accused to secure bail.

After concerns were raised by the victim's family, the Kerala High Court ordered a fresh investigation.

Due to dissatisfaction with the investigation, the investigation team was changed twice.

Finally, a fifth investigation team led by Additional Director General of Police E J Jayaraj completed the investigation and filed a chargesheet.

During the trial, which began in February last year, a total of 42 witnesses and 91 documents were examined, according to police.