HYDERABAD: When the Cyberabad police caught an auto-driver on Monday night, little did they imagine that they had in their custody a libertine, a ‘perverse’ version of Don Juan. If the fictional character took pride in seducing women, 31-year-old Joseph James, reportedly by his own account, went on a sex spree after coming to know that he had contracted AIDS. As per his confession, he had sexual intercourse with approximately 300 women - despite knowing that he would be infecting them with the dreaded virus, police said Tuesday.
James, born and brought up in the city but with roots in Kerala, attracted the attention of a police party, who were checking vehicles at the Uppal bus stop, because of his suspicious movements. “He tried to escape when we asked for his details. He was apprehended and gold ornaments worth Rs 1.25 lakh were seized from his possession,” said station house officer, Uppal Police, Y Narsimha Reddy.
During interrogation, James, a resident of Mirjalguda, stunned the police with his ‘confessions.’ According to the police, he came to know of his ailment about eight months ago. Realising that his days were numbered, he decided to live life to the fullest. The thrice married man had no family obligations - his first two wives had deserted him, while the third lives separately.
And, he didn’t have children with any of them.The police said James had revealed that he was a ‘satyromaniac’ and loved everything about women.
It was when he did not have enough money that he stole jewelry from a friend’s house, and was caught.
He was earlier arrested in a gambling case but managed to come out unscathed.
“He will be out on bail soon as the charge against him is not grave. We will monitor his movements and get him counselled,” said M Ravi Chandan Reddy, assistant commissioner of police, Malkajgiri.
In the absence of any complaints against him from women, and the matter being highly sensitive, the police, as of now, are not registering any serious case against James.
“We can book him under Section 331 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 336 (act endangering life of others), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC, provided we get a complaint from someone,” Reddy explained.
James’ father, a railway employee, was originallly from Kerala but he settled in Hyderabad following a transfer.
“James had affairs with women in schools, where he used to go to drop students, women who visited his girlfriend’s beauty parlour, sex workers and even destitute women on the streets. He was into all sorts of things from gambling to alcoholism etc,” said Reddy.
James claimed that he’s in the final stages of AIDS. “We are sure that he has AIDS. However, we are considering medical examination to confirm the same,” Reddy added.
A case under Section 457 (lurking house-trespass) and 380 (theft) of the IPC has been registered against him.