KOCHI: A group of police officials in Kochi has landed in a big mess after the complainant in a rape case turned up before a court saying that she had only filed an assault complaint against the accused and did not allege rape. As Crime No 434/2022 registered in the Harbour police station against A N Ashraf, 26, of Panayikulam under Section 376 (rape) ran into a controversy following the woman’s submission, a departmental inquiry has been launched in connection with the incident.
However, police officials said the woman retracted her earlier statement before the court after the police arrested Ashraf, with whom she had been in a relationship, on June 3.
“We registered the case after she approached us with a complaint against him. Rape charges were invoked based on her complaint and statement. We conducted her medical test. She had given a statement with all details that include specific dates and where the crime had taken place,” said Harbour Inspector of Police Pradeep Chandran.
It was when Ashraf’s bail application came up before the court that the woman in person appeared and said that her sexual relationship with the accused was consensual and he had never sexually assaulted her giving a false promise of marriage.
Based on her submission, the court granted Ashraf an interim bail on Monday. In the order granting bail, the judge said, “I have interacted with the victim. She is an educated woman. She stated that she has been in love with the petitioner for the past many years. They voluntarily had consensual sex several times.
“She further submitted that both of them have decided to marry in July. In the meanwhile, there were some issues between them and on one occasion, the petitioner came to her workplace and threatened her. Thereupon, she filed a complaint against him before the Deputy Commissioner of Police. In the said complaint, there is absolutely no allegation of sexual assault,” the judge said.
“Even in the first information statement, there is no allegation that the petitioner retracted the promise of marriage. The victim asserted before me that she has absolutely no allegation against the petitioner that he never sexually assaulted her on giving a false promise of marriage,” the judge added.