KOZHIKODE: Mehnaz Moidu, 25, the husband of vlogger Rifa Mehnaz, 20, who was found hanging at her flat in Dubai on March 1, was arrested by the Kakkur police on Pocso charges. The police recorded his arrest after it was found that Rifa was a minor at the time of her marriage.
The couple got married three years ago and has a two-year-old son. The arrest came at a time when Mehnaz was awaiting the High Court verdict in the anticipatory bail plea filed in the abetment case related to Rifa’s suicide.
“Initially, Mehnaz and family members told the police that Rifa got married at the age of 18. Later, the police found that she gave birth to her son when she was 18 years and 2 months old. On June 13, the police registered a Pocso case against Mehnaz. He was arrested on Thursday after verifying evidence,” said Ashraf Thangalakandiyil, Thamarassery DySP, who is the investigating officer in the Rifa death case.
“The arrest of the accused in the case registered under Sections 498 and 306 of the IPC is pending. We are awaiting the HC order on Mehnaz’s bail petition,” said the DySP.