KOCHI: The family members of the administrator and chief priest of Peringottukara Devasthanam temple who had been accused in a sexual assault case have said that there was a conspiracy behind the ‘honey trap’ case, and it should be probed immediately.
The Karnataka High Court had earlier acquitted chief priest Unni Damodharan, of Peringottukara Devasthanam, and also released his son-in-law and temple admin T A Arun on bail after 45 days of imprisonment. Arun was arrested by the Karnataka police in June for allegedly raping and blackmailing a Bengaluru-based woman under pretext of freeing her from the influence of black magic.
Following the investigation, the Bellanduru police had charged another case against five people for deception and arrested Bangaluru native Ratna who filed the case against the temple priests, her accomplice Monika, and Thrissur native Praveen K A.
Praveen is Unni Damodharan’s nephew. The detailed probe and arrest followed a complaint filed by Arun’s relatives to Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara.
The family now alleges that Praveen and his allies conspired against them due to a long-standing grudge over property disputes related to the temple, said Damodharan’s elder daughter Unnimaya Sooraj.