Six years after the alleged sexual assault of a nine-year-old girl triggered one of Kerala's most controversial POCSO investigations, the Palathayi case has taken another major turn. The Kerala High Court has suspended the sentence of K Padmarajan and granted him bail, observing that the arguments raised by him require serious consideration.
The case drew political attention due to Padmarajan being a former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) local panchayat president.
Earlier, Padmarajan was sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life and fined Rs 1 lakh. He was also handed 20-year prison terms each under two POCSO offences, amounting to 40 years. He moved the Kerala High Court seeking suspension of the sentence while challenging his conviction. The court has now allowed the plea and granted him bail with strict conditions.
Padmarajan was asked to execute a bond of Rs 1 lakh with two sureties. He has also been barred from entering the revenue district where the survivor lives.
The order adds another chapter to a case that has been marked by controversy and repeated changes in the investigation.
The case began in January 2020 after police received a complaint that a nine-year-old girl had been sexually assaulted. Padmarajan was arrested following an investigation by Panur Police. The probe soon became controversial after an investigating team concluded that POCSO charges would not stand.
The Kerala government under the CPIM subsequently constituted a special investigation team to probe the case.
A bloodstain recovered from a toilet at the school later emerged as a crucial piece of evidence cited by investigators.
The investigation changed hands five times before the case reached trial.
Padmarajan had maintained that the allegations against him were fabricated. He had also made allegations against SDPI and other organisations while defending himself before the court.
The conviction had brought the long-running case to a decisive stage. The High Court's decision to suspend the sentence and release Padmarajan on bail has now reopened the legal battle, with his challenge to the conviction still to be decided.
