KOCHI: A European woman has filed a sexual abuse complaint against Kochi-based tattoo artist Sujeesh P S, who is already facing similar charges from six others. The woman complained to the police that she was abused at Sujeesh’s studio in Palarivattom in 2019, when she went there for tattooing.
“The woman is currently in Europe. She decided to approach the police after coming to know about the complaints lodged by other survivors,” a police officer said. The police said the woman visited India for an academic exchange programme and came to Kochi for a short course.
Raghul Sudheesh, the woman’s counsel, said the police went through her mail and asked her to submit a signed statement to register a case. According to the police, the woman went to the studio to get a tattoo done below her chest. While tattooing, Sujeesh allegedly touched her inappropriately when her friend, who was in the room initially, went out.
Cops search for scientific evidence
Meanwhile, the police team, probing the rape and the sexual assault cases, is continuing with its efforts to collect scientific evidence after the prosecution team asked them to do so as mere statement of the survivors will not stand in the court during the trial.
Police officers said they were waiting for the report on the cyber forensic analysis of Sujeesh’s mobile phone and laptop. A police officer said apart from the survivors, they have not received any statement from the staff of the studios or other persons against the accused.