Rape of minor: Ex-imam remanded in custody

Thiruvananthapuram: Police on Friday recorded the arrest of A Shafeek, 37, the former Imam who is accused of raping a 15-year-old girl. He was produced before the court and remanded in judicial custody. Besides rape charges under Pocso, he is also facing charges for attempting to destroy evidence and revealing the survivor’s name through social media. Police also recorded the arrest of Faisal of Perumbavoor on charges of aiding Shafeek to evade arrest.
The police team led by crime branch DSP (rural district) D Ashokan took the accused into custody from a lodge in Madurai on Thursday.

District police chief (rural) B Ashokan said that the accused have confessed to the crime that took place on the particular day on which he was caught by a group of Kudumbashree women. However, the investigation team will probe whether he had sexually exploited the girl in the past too. Shafeek had maintained a close relationship with the girl’s family.

“We have filed an application before the court seeking his custody for further interrogation. We are expecting to secure his custody again on Monday,” the SP said. Police were also on the lookout of four SDPI activists, who had allegedly handed over a sum of Rs 4 lakh to Shafeek to escape. The cash was used so as to avoid using ATM and thereby being located by police.

With Friday’s arrest, the total number of men arrested in the case rose to five. Earlier, police had arrested Shafeek’s two brothers Al Ameen and Noushad and his brother-in-law Kabeer, who is also an imam, for aiding in his escape.