Maid's death: Employer’s role confirmed by cops, trafficking charge added

KOCHI: While the mystery has deepened in the death of a domestic help after a fall during her bid to climb down from a sixth-floor apartment on Marine Drive and her relatives have alleged foul play, the Kochi City police said they have received vital clues on the role of the flat owner, Imtiaz Ahmed, who has been named accused in the case. The police have now invoked Section 370 of IPC for human trafficking, which is a non-bailable offence, against Imtiaz, who has absconded.

The police had earlier registered a case invoking Sections 342 (wrongful confinement) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC following a complaint lodged by victim Rajakumari’s husband Sreenivas alleging that she was locked up in the apartment.

“We have received clues about his movement and he will be arrested soon. A special squad has been constituted to carry out the inquiry,” City Police Commissioner Vijay Sakhare said on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Imtiaz approached the Principal Sessions Court, seeking anticipatory bail. However, the police officers said they will strongly object to the bail application. 

According to the police, the woman was locked up for not returning the amount she had received as an advance from the employer. Sreenivas alleged that she collected `10,000 and when the employer did not allow her to leave for her hometown of Salem in Tamil Nadu, the amount was transferred to his bank account by her son. However, she was not allowed to go.