Kasaragod: Adhur police have booked Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader and Muliyar grama panchayat member S M Muhammed Kunhi (58) for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a schoolboy.
Kunhi's accomplice Thaiseer was also booked on charges of sexually assaulting the boy, the police said. Thaiseer is accused of administering narcotic drugs to the minor and then sexually assaulting him. Later, he allegedly handed the boy over to Kunhi.
"The boy has filed two complaints, one against Thaiseer and another against panchayat member Kunhi. We are investigating the cases," said Adhur station house officer Anil Kumar A.
According to the complaints, Kunhi kidnapped the boy, took him to a crusher facility near his house, and assaulted him on April 11.
Based on the complaints, Adhur police registered two FIRs.
Kunhi is charged with kidnapping (section 363 of the Indian Penal Code), sexual assault (section 377 of IPC), trafficking of a minor (section 370 (4) of IPC), and sections 3 (a) and 4 (1) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
If convicted, he faces a prison term of life but not less than 10 years.
Thaiseer, meanwhile, has been charged with the same sections and section 77 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, for giving a narcotic drug or psychotropic substance to a child.
IUML removes Kunhi from party posts
As soon as the FIR was registered, the IUML removed Kunhi from the post of president of the outfit's Muliyar grama panchayat committee.
The party also relieved him from the responsibilities of other frontal organisations of the IUML.
Muhammed Kunhi and Thaiseer have reportedly gone into hiding, according to the police. Kunhi's mobile phone remained switched off.
