An IG-level probe was ordered on Sunday into a POCSO case booked against a woman in Kerala for alleged sexual abuse of her teenaged son, after his sibling claimed that their father forced his brother to make the charge. The 37-year-old woman of four children was recently arrested on the charge of 'sexually abusing' her 14-year-old son, following a report by the District Child Welfare Committee based on a complaint by her estranged husband.
"We received a complaint from the father of the child and forwarded it to the Child Protection Committee. An FIR was registered against the mother after getting the report from the committee… We have recorded the statement of the child as well," police told PTI. The woman has been remanded to judicial custody by a court.
However, the case took a new turn after the younger sibling of the boy told the media on Saturday that their father had forced the children to give a statement against their mother. According to reports, the father took the three sons aged 17, 14 and 9 to stay with him in the Gulf after he separated from their mother over domestic issues.
The couple also has a six-year-old daughter, who is staying with the maternal grandparents. The man recently lodged a police complaint alleging that some behavioural changes were noticed in his second son after the latter came to live with him and when enquired he narrated about the "sexual abuse".
Amid the conflicting statements, state police chief Loknath Behera ordered a probe by Inspector General of Police Harshitha Attaloori into the matter.