Thalassery: A POCSO Fast Track Special Court on Saturday sentenced K. Padmarajan, the BJP–backed president of the Thrippangottur panchayat, to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting a Class 4 girl at a school in Palathayi, Panoor, Kannur.

The sentence was delivered by Judge M.T. Jalaja Rani, a day after the court found him guilty in the 2020 case. A fine of ₹1 lakh is also imposed. In case he fails to pay the fine, he must undergo an additional one year of imprisonment.

In addition, under two separate sections of the POCSO Act, he must serve 40 years of imprisonment and pay another ₹1 lakh as fine.

According to the prosecution, the 10-year-old student was sexually assaulted by Padmarajan, a teacher at Palathayi school here, between January and February 2020.

Panoor police registered a case on March 17, 2020, and arrested him on April 15. The case was later handed over to the Crime Branch.

However, following concerns raised by the victim's family, a new investigation team led by Additional Director General of Police E J Jayaraj conducted a fresh probe and filed a chargesheet, officials said