Man accused of raping domestic help from Odisha remains absconding

A 75-year-old man accused of raping a 23-year-old tribal woman from Odisha, employed as a resident domestic help at his home, remains absconding even as he has moved an anticipatory bail petition, which the District and Sessions Court, Ernakulam, is set to consider next Tuesday.

It is more than a week since the Maradu police registered a first information report (FIR) against Sivaprasad on a petition filed by the survivor from Gajapati district in Odisha. She was rescued by the police with the help of a staff of the Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development (CMID) a day before.

The FIR based on the initial statement of the survivor was registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 74 (assault or use of criminal force against women with the intent to outrage their modesty). A detailed medical examination was conducted later. “Since then, we have added rape charges. But the accused remains absconding, and his mobile phone remains switched off. We have been to all potential locations where he could have gone but could not trace him yet,” said police sources.

The police may invoke the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on receipt of relevant documents certifying that the survivor indeed belongs to a tribal community. According to the FIR, the incident occurred on October 15 around 11 a.m. According to the petitioner, the accused spiked her juice and then outraged her modesty taking advantage of her intoxicated state.

The incident came to light after the survivor reportedly shared her ordeal with a relative, who also worked as a domestic help in another house in Ernakulam, over the phone. The relative in turn shared it with her employer who alerted the CMID.

Published - October 25, 2024 06:54 pm IST