Kochi: The police have arrested Pranav C Subash, a celebrity photographer and an employee of the Guruvayur Devaswom, on charges of sexually abusing a young woman after falsely promising to marry her.
The case against Pranav, who hails from Anaikkal at Kunnamkulam in Thrissur district, was registered by the Kadavanthra police in Ernakulam based on a complaint filed by a woman belonging to Malappuram currently residing in Kochi.
In her complaint, the woman alleged that after impregnating her, Pranav had gone back on his promise to marry her. He had also asked her to abort, the woman informed the police.
The woman had initially struck a friendship with Pranav on social media. She said that he claimed to be a divorcee and proposed to her. Then she asked Pranav to meet her parents. When her parents did not object to the alliance, they continued the relationship.
Pranav kept on delaying their marriage citing some unsettled legal issues with his former wife. Meanwhile, the complainant received a promise from Pranav that he would certainly marry her.
The woman said in her police complaint that she trusted Pranav and travelled with him to several places. She also allowed him to visit her apartment in Kochi where he compelled her to have intercourse. He also sexually abused her in a hotel room in Thiruvananthapuram, the woman added.
Soon, the woman felt that she was carrying and informed the matter to Pranav over phone. When he asked her to abort, the woman refused and demanded that their wedding should take place immediately.
However, Pranav rejected her demand. He also said that he was no longer interested in continuing the relationship as his parents objected to the alliance. Pranav also threatened to publish their private photos on social media if she did not go in for the abortion, said the police complaint.
Subsequently, the woman made some enquiries on her own and learnt that Pranav had given false promises to other women also and sexually abused them. Realizing his true colours, the woman decided to end the relationship and file a police complaint. The police arranged a medical examination and a magistrate court recorded her confidential statement. Pranav was soon arrested.
After the arrest, several other women raised allegations of abuse against Pranav. Incidentally, Pranav is yet to be legally divorced from his wife, said the police. “His wife left him after finding photos of Pranav with other women on his laptop,” said a police officer.
