The son of a popular women’s group leader in Kerala was booked by the Munnar police in Idukki on Saturday for allegedly raping and impregnating a minor girl.
21-year-old Vivek Augustine, the son of Pembilai Orumai leader Gomathi, was arrested after the girl’s parents filed a complaint. According to the Munnar police, Vivek works in a lodge and was in a relationship with the 16-year-old student. He allegedly raped and impregnated her.
The police have booked Vivek under IPC Section 376 (rape) and relevant sections of the POCSO Act.
"Vivek had promised to marry the girl, but then backed off. The girl was two months pregnant, and her parents took her to some place in Tamil Nadu for an abortion," the Munnar Circle Inspector said.
The police said that after the girl's family found out about her relationship with Vivek a few months ago, the family shifted base to Ernakulam district. The family then admitted the class 12 student to a school in Ernakulam.
"Her parents soon got to know that she was pregnant. Both her parents and the girl herself have given a statement that the fetus was aborted a few weeks ago. Following this, the girl slipped into depression and she was receiving counselling for this. In the course of one of these counselling sessions that she revealed information about the abuse," the CI said.
After the counsellor informed the Angamaly police in Ernakulam, the girl's statement was recorded. The Angamaly Sub-Inspector said that the case was transferred to the police station in Munnar after recording the girl's statement. The Munnar police, who arrested Vivek on Saturday, produced him before a magistrate on the same day. Vivek has now been sent to 14-days judicial custody to the Devikulam sub-jail.
As per the law, any sexual contact with an individual who is below the legal age of consent (18 years) is considered statutory rape.