Last month, police arrested a businessman and the girl’s mother in connection with the incident that occurred on April 18. (Representational)
A movie hall owner in Kerala’s Malappuram district was arrested under sections of POCSO Act on charges of his failure to inform police about sexual abuse of a minor girl in the hall. Last month, police arrested a businessman and the girl’s mother in connection with the incident that occurred on April 18.
Malappuram district police chief Prateesh Kumar said E C Satheesh, 55, owner of Govinda Cinemas at Edappal, was arrested under sections 19 (1) and 21 of POCSO Act. “The theatre owner failed to inform the police despite having knowledge about the incident of child abuse. Hence, we have registered a case. He was arrested and later released on bail,’’ said the SP.
It was only on May 12 that police arrested businessman K V Moitheenkutty, 60, on the charge of molesting the minor girl. CCTV footage at the theatre had purportedly shown Moitheenkutty sitting between a woman and her minor daughter.
The SHO at Changaramkulam police station was arrested under POCSO Act for his alleged failure to act promptly after Childline alerted him about the incident.