Kochi: All the accused in one of the cases related to the sensational Paravur sex scandal were acquitted due to lack of concrete evidence. This is the first time that the prosecution has completely failed to hand over punishments to the accused.
The minor girl was exploited by 100-odd people over a period of time in 2010. The girl's father Sudheer, a small-time actor, had raped her and taken her to various people in different places where she was sexually exploited. Over 50 cases had been registered for rape and gang-rape of the girl. Her mother is also an accused in the cases.
Under advocates C P Mohan Menon and P A Ayub Khan, 10 cases related to the sex racket had so far resulted in all the accused being sentenced. A new prosecution team was handed the responsibility after the death of advocate Mohan Menon. This case, pertaining to the girl being sexually exploited in Coimbatore, was tackled by the new team but saw the accused being let off as the witness accounts were not strong enough.
In all the other cases, the victim's father who is the first accused, had been slapped with a heavy punishment including a life-term prison sentence. These judgments were upheld in a High Court appeal recently. In Saturday's case, the molested girl's mother and father also got off scot-free.
Middle-men in the case Joshi Varghese (Achayan), Shajimon, Jessi, as well as Ottapalam native Vijayakumar, who took the girl to Coimbatore, were also acquitted.
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