Kochi: P G Manu, the senior government pleader of the Kerala High Court has resigned following the sexual assault case against him. The letter of resignation was submitted to the Advocate General.
According to the complaint, the advocate sexually assaulted a 25-year-old woman who sought his legal help. The Chottanikara police registered a case against Manu based on the complaint given by the woman to Ernakulam Rural SP. The complainant's confidential statement will be recorded today.
On October 9, 2023, the young woman approached PG Manu, the government pleader in the High Court, to discuss the legal ways forward in a 2018 harassment case. The lawyer was first contacted by an ex-policeman who was the investigating officer in the case.
According to the complainant, the accused first tried to sexually assault the woman on October 9 when she visited his Kadavantra office along with her father and mother. The senior government pleader allegedly asked the parents to wait outside and closed the door in the pretext of discussing the case with the survivor. He even threatened to turn the 2018 case around and make her an accused instead of a victim. She was also summoned by the advocate on October 11 in connection with the case and sexually assaulted while her father waited outside.
The woman added that he continued to make obscene remarks to her through WhatsApp calls and chats. The accused also visited the survivor's home on November 24 after ensuring that her parents and brother were not home and forced his way in to the house and raped her, the complaint alleged.
The accused also visited her home in the presence of her mother. The survivor's mother was quick to notice the signs of discomfort on her daughter's face in the presence of the accused. When the mother confronted her, she finally confided about her ordeal.
The woman's statement was recorded after the complaint given to the Ernakulam Rural SP was handed over to the Chottanikkara police. In the complaint, the woman also said that apart from the torture, the accused took pictures of her naked body. In addition to sexual harassment under section 376 of the IPC, the police have registered a case under the IT Act.
