Kozhikode: Following a significant twist in the Pantheerankavu domestic violence case, the probe team is set to question civil police officer KT Sarath Lal, who allegedly helped the first accused Rahul P Gopal escape, on Tuesday when he is said to appear in person to seek bail.
Sarath, an officer at the Pantheerankavu police station, had been missing since the allegations against him surfaced. He had sought anticipatory bail from the sessions court five days ago. But the court dismissed his petition, stating that he needed to appear at the station to obtain bail.
The decision comes a day after the complainant woman stunned Kerala by denouncing her family and siding with her husband. In a video posted on social media, she stated that Rahul was innocent and that her allegations were fabricated. She expressed remorse and said she was telling the truth in the video.
"My family forced me to tell the police that I was physically abused over a dowry claim. I made a terrible mistake by levelling false allegations against my husband. It is also a lie that I was beaten with a belt and that he used a phone charging cable to strangle me. At the time, I felt I should stay with my parents and listen to them. But my family tried to brainwash me. They even threatened to commit suicide," she added.
However, police said the police have not taken her confession seriously.
The woman has reportedly gone missing, and her father told reporters that Rahul’s family might have entrapped her. "Our earlier statements were based on what our daughter told us. She mentioned the domestic violence and showed us bruises on her body. We did not create those injuries or force her to lie," said her father Haridas.
The complainant has started the process to withdraw the case. "It was only a petty dispute between the woman and her husband, and they have resolved it," said the complainant's lawyer. "She has submitted an affidavit to close the complaint, and I am moving forward with it," the lawyer added. Rahul left for Germany once a case, including an attempt to murder charge, was filed against him.
After taking Sarath’s statement on Tuesday, the police will file a charge-sheet against the other accused in the case including Rahul's mother Ushakumari, sister Karthika, driver Rajesh, and the other policeman involved in the case.
