KOCHI: Though two months have passed since the Kerala High Court directed the state police to file a report on the status of investigation regarding the alleged rape of a 32-year-old woman at Muringoor by a former priest of Emperor Emmanuel Church, Thrissur, the police are yet to file a report.
The victim filed the petition seeking a directive to constitute a Special Investigation Team for effective probe on May 3 and it came up for hearing on May 4 before the High Court. Justice P Gopinath had sought the view of the state government and directed the District Police Chief, Thrissur, to file a report regarding the status of the probe into the complaint filed by the victim within two weeks. The court had also directed to post the case after receiving the report. But the police have not filed the report till date.
B S Suresh, counsel for the petitioner, told TNIE that a memo has been filed before the court seeking an early hearing. Following the revelation of Olympian Mayookha Johny that her friend was subjected to rape and the police are not taking any action, the state government has swung into action. The Advocate General, Kerala, on July 2 has sent an urgent letter requesting District Police Chief, Thrissur, to comply with the order of the court and forward the report regarding the status of the investigation.
In the petition filed before the HC, the victim alleged that she was sexually assaulted by C C Johnson, a former priest on July 9 2016 at 10pm at her house in Zeon Eden Colony at Muriyadu. According to her, the accused came to her house, when her mother was not there. He entered the room and locked the door. When she stepped back in panic, she tripped and fell.
Later, she was stripped naked by the accused and sexually abused. He took her nude photos and threatened her. The victim alleged that she is living in constant fear as the accused sends threat messages through WhatsApp.
Even after her marriage in 2018, the accused continued to torture her mentally. She filed a complaint before the police on March 16 and the police registered an FIR on March 20. The police had already produced the victim before the Magistrate for taking statements under Section 164 of CrPC and conducted a medical examination.
But the police did not take any steps to arrest the accused. The police did not seize the mobile phone or other devices used by the accused for sending obscene messages. The delay and latches from the part of the probe agency would have led to destruction of evidence, stated the petition.Meanwhile, the victim sent a letter to the CM seeking action against top police officers for not taking action in the case.