CBI Charges Parents in Walayar Case for Abetment to Rape

The CBI has charged parents in the Walayar case with abetment to rape under POCSO and IPC, following a comprehensive investigation. The chargesheet involves six cases linked to the 2017 deaths of two minor sisters in Walayar after alleged sexual assault.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against the parents involved in the Walayar case, alleging abetment to rape. This significant legal move was formalized at the Ernakulam CBI court, spotlighting serious charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and pertinent sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), specifically targeting Section 109 concerning abetment to rape.

The comprehensive chargesheet encapsulates six intertwined cases tied to these grievous offences. This case gained prominence following the tragic discovery of two minor sisters who were allegedly sexually assaulted and subsequently found deceased in their 2017 Walayar domicile. Initially managed by the Palakkad POCSO Court, the High Court later sanctioned its transfer to the CBI court in Ernakulam, following a petition from the CBI highlighting investigative intricacies.

This transfer unraveled after a chilling sequence of events: on January 7, 2017, a 13-year-old girl was discovered hanging in her Attappallam home. Merely two months later, on March 4, her nine-year-old sister met the same fate. An investigative task force, spearheaded by Palakkad ASP G Poonguzhali IPS, delved into these perturbing incidents. However, it wasn't until March 12, 2017, that autopsies confirmed sexual assault, challenging initial police conclusions of suicide, which were reflected in a June 22, 2019 chargesheet. Despite a brief trial in 2019 that saw the accused acquitted due to insufficient evidence, the case has maintained public and media attention, raising critical questions about systemic flaws in the justice delivery mechanism.

(With inputs from agencies.)