Kochi: The quick response of the investigating team and the completion of the probe in 30 days' time helped in securing capital punishment for the accused in the Aluva rape and murder case, ADGP (Law and Order) M R Ajith Kumar IPS said on Tuesday.

"The quantum of punishment was awarded 110 days after the crime. The probe was completed in 30 days and the trial in 60 days. The verdict came on the 100th day and the sentence on the 110th day," he added. 

He was speaking to the media after the Ernakulam POCSO court sentenced Ashfaq Alam (28), the lone accused in the abduction, rape and murder of a five-year-old girl in Aluva, to death and five life terms.

"The police force led by the SI was able to capture the accused in a few hours' time. This was crucial to the case. Aluva DySP Prasad, Inspector of Police Manju Das,  SI Srilal and the probe team consisting of almost 30 officials did a good job as they were able to wrap up the investigation in 30 days," he said.

"The police and prosecution were succesful in proving it was a 'rarest of rare' case," Ajith Kumar added.
The court accepted the prosecution's argument that the case was among the rarest of the rare and that the accused be awarded the death penalty. Judge K Soman, who presided over the trial, pronounced the sentence on the 110th day of completing the trial, which was also Children's Day.

The ADGP also commended the local residents, media and authorities for helping in the case since the beginning. He highlighted the importance of establishing a system for monitoring criminals.

"The accused was involved in similar crimes earlier. We should have a system to monitor such people and keep track of their movements," he added. 

The quantum of sentence awarded include five life sentence for charges including three POCSO charges and capital punishment.

The court upheld 13 charges levelled by the prosecution against the accused, including murder, kidnapping, torture, indignity to a human corpse, destroying evidence and three POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) charges. The defense had argued that the death penalty be avoided citing the defendant's age and possibility of repentance.