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Rape accused ex-Kerala govt pleader surrenders
Though he approached the high court with an anticipatory bail petition last year, it was dismissed. On Jan 29, the Supreme Court too quashed the special leave petition filed by the lawyer
A former senior government pleader in the Kerala high court, who is accused of raping a sexual harassment survivor, surrendered before the local police in Ernakulam district on Wednesday after the Supreme Court rejected his anticipatory bail petition.
PG Manu faces charges of raping a 25-year-old woman who had approached him for legal aid in connection with a 2018 sexual harassment case in which she is the survivor. According to the FIR, the accused raped her several times including at his office in Kochi and at her residence in October last year.
“The accused is booked under sections 376 (rape), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 506 (criminal intimidation) and relevant sections of the IT act,” said a police officer of the Chottanikkara station where the case was booked.
“According to the complainant, the accused raped her a number of times, including at his office in Kadavanthra and her residence. She had met him to ask for legal aid in connection with another case of sexual harassment she had filed back in 2018 in which the trial is still ongoing. The complaint says that he sent lewd messages to her through social media and shot private photos and videos of her on his phone,” the officer said.
After the FIR was filed, Manu was asked to resign from his post by the Attorney General on November 30.
Though he approached the high court with an anticipatory bail petition last year, it was dismissed. On Jan 29, the Supreme Court too quashed the special leave petition filed by the lawyer challenging the verdict of the High Court.
At the same time, the top court sustained the High Court’s observation that in the event of his arrest, the judicial magistrate shall consider his bail application without any delay.
