Thiruvananthapuram: Former DGP and municipal councillor R Sreelekha on Friday said that Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) case registered against her for allegedly revealing the identity of sexual assault survivors wouldn’t stand. She termed the move politically motivated even as police initiated steps to examine videos from her YouTube channel as part of the probe.“I served in the police force for 33 years and was happy when Pocso law came into force because it strengthened our ability to protect women and children. I have always worked for their safety. I would never knowingly do anything harmful to a rape survivor,” she said.
Referring to the allegation, Sreelekha said the person mentioned in the video was initially recorded as a minor in official records but was later found to be above 18 years during investigation. “If the survivor was not a minor, the provisions of Pocso will not apply. Therefore, the case will not stand,” she said, adding that the complaint was an attempt to create controversy ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.Museum police on Thursday registered the case on the directives of Thiruvananthapuram judicial first class magistrate court based on a complaint filed before civil rights and social justice society court.The complaint alleged that Sreelekha revealed the identities of survivors in Kaviyoor-Kiliroor cases through her blog and her YouTube channel Sasneham Sreelekha.Police are set to formally seek the video from YouTube and examine whether her remarks amount to disclosure of identity and attract provisions under the Pocso Act.Police said that they would determine whether the content violated legal protections granted to survivors under the existing law.
