(1.) The petitioner seeks to quash the proceedings against him in S.C No.811/2020 on the file of the Additional Sessions Court-I, Thrissur. The petitioner is the former chairman of the Child Welfare Committee, Thrissur. He functioned as such for a period from 2009 to 2019. He has been arrayed as accused No.2 (Crime No.1130/2019 of Ollur Police Station) in the Sessions Case.
(2.) The offences alleged are punishable under Ss. 450, 354(A), 376(2)(l), 376(2)(i) and 506 of the IPC and Ss. 4, 3(b), 6, 5(k), 12 read with Sec. 11 (iii) and Sec. 21 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. The petitioner has been arrayed as accused No.2, alleging the offence under Sec. 21 read with Sec. 19(1) of the POCSO Act for nonreporting of the matter to the police.
(3.) The incident came to light after many years while the victim was sexually abused by an auto driver for which Crime No.1028/2019 was registered. In that crime, the provisions of the POCSO Act were not included as the victim had attained 19 years on the date of the second crime.