THRISSUR: The police and the Women’s Commission failed to help a rape victim who is being harassed and threatened, alleged former national athlete Mayookha Johny on Monday. Mayookha, who held a press meet along with the victim here, alleged that former Women’s Commission chairperson M C Josephine intervened to save the accused.
According to Mayookha, her friend was raped and blackmailed by a person named C C Johnson, a native of Muringoor in Chalakkudy. The incident happened on July 9, 2016, when the girl was alone at her house in Aloor. The victim alleged that she is living in constant fear as the accused sends threat messages through WhatsApp.
As per the victim, Johnson raped her and clicked her nude photographs. The accused blackmailed and abused her several times threatening to release the photos.
As Johnson continued to threaten the victim through WhatsApp, she shared the incident with Mayookha and sought her help. When Johnson got information that the victim has informed Mayookha about the incident, he engaged a quotation gang who threatened Mayookha when she visited a mall in Kochi.
Though the girl married in 2018, the accused continued to torture her mentally. "As she remained dull and sad all the time after marriage, I intervened and convinced her to file a police complaint. I also urged her to share the WhatsApp messages sent by Johnson with the police," said Mayookha.
As the victim and her husband were staying in Kollam, she lodged a complaint with Kollam police in March 2021. As the location of the incident was Aloor, the case was transferred to Aloor police station following which Johnson started threatening the family of the victim. She then lodged a complaint with Rural SP G Poonkuzhali, who at first communicated properly but later lost interest in the case.
“The victim came to know later that Women's Commission former chairperson M C Josephine and a public prosecutor intervened to save Johnson,” said Mayookha.
"The police delayed the investigation in the name of election duty and Covid restrictions. The statements of important witnesses, evidence like WhatsApp messages and CCTV visuals are yet to be collected," said Mayookha.
She demanded the immediate removal of SP Poonkuzhali and Aloor CI to facilitate an independent investigation in the case.