Life Imprisonment for BJP Activist Teacher in Shocking Child Rape Case

In a significant legal decision, Padmarajan K, a BJP activist and school teacher, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of a 10-year-old girl in Palathayi. The court also imposed fines for his crimes under the IPC and POCSO Act, following an exhaustive investigation.

In a landmark ruling on Saturday, the Thalassery Fast Track Special Court sentenced a school teacher and BJP activist to life imprisonment for the rape of a 10-year-old student. The convicted, identified as Padmarajan K, repeatedly assaulted the minor between January and February 2020, while employed at a Palathayi school.

The court imposed a life sentence, along with additional sentences and fines, under various sections of the IPC and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Judged by Jalarajani M T, the trial was rigorously conducted, examining 42 witnesses and 91 documents. The court decreed that the fines be awarded to the victim as partial compensation.

Despite Padmarajan's appeal for leniency due to his economic role in his family, the court was firm in its decision. The trial followed multiple investigations and handovers, culminating in a decisive charge sheet led by ADGP E J Jayaraj, addressing allegations of conspiracy and negligence during earlier probes.

(With inputs from agencies.)