Kadakkavoor child abuse case: HC grants bail to mother

Kochi: The Kerala High Court has granted bail to a woman, accused of sexually abusing her minor son at Kadakkavoor in Thiruvananthapuram district.

Observing that the gravity of offences alleged against the woman was serious in nature and quite unheard of, the court directed the state police chief to constitute a special team, headed by an IPS officer, preferably a lady, to proceed with the investigation and complete it soon.

The court granted bail on stringent conditions. The court directed her to furnish two sureties of Rs 1 lakh and also instructed her not to make any interventions that could influence the probe.

The court also said that the child victim should be made to undergo a detailed physical examination. For this, a medical board, comprising experienced doctors, a psychologist and paediatrician, should be formed. The court also instructed that if the probe team deems it necessary, the boy can be moved out from the father's care and put up at a care centre of the child welfare committee.

The woman, who was jailed, in her bail petition to the HC last week, pointed out that the complaint questioned her motherhood and womanhood.

The woman said that the complainant, the father of her children, had married another woman without divorcing her. And when she sought an alimony, he forcefully took away two kids.

The woman further alleged that his second wife had brainwashed the child to give the complaint against her.

However, the government had contended in court the other day that the probe had ascertained the veracity of the complaint. The police said that they had received statements that the woman had given some medicines to the child and these medicines were found during an examination.

As per the complaint of the 13-year-old boy, the Kadakkavoor police had filed a case against the woman on December 18. The woman, who was arrested on December 22, has been lodged at the Attakulangara jail since then.

The woman has three sons, aged 17, 13 and 11, and a six-year-old daughter.

The 11-year-old son had earlier revealed that the father used to beat and threaten him, and had asked him to give a similar statement.

Though the woman is not legally separated from her husband, she has been living separately due to alleged domestic abuse.

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