After a month-long inquiry, the Kasaba police on Monday confirmed the arrest of two main accused persons in a recent sex scandal in which a 15-year-old girl hailing from Mumbai was sexually abused in a lodge at Kallayi in the city.
The police identified the accused as Saji Shameer, 43, hailing from Kadavanthra, and Jaffer Ali, 30, of Vailathoor.
According to the police, Saji Shameer had brought the girl from Mumbai and sexually abused at the lodge.
Jaffer Ali was arrested on the charge of taking the girl to various locations in his car.
Both of them were produced before the District Sessions Court and remanded in judicial custody.
The inquiry in the case was conducted by Assistant Commissioner (South) A.J. Babu and Kasaba Circle Inspector Babu Peringoth. Saji Shameer and Jaffer Ali were nabbed by the investigation team at Thamarassery pass on Sunday night.
They were trying to escape from a temporary hideout to Mysore.
Two more to be nabbed
City Police Commissioner A.V. George told reporters that two more persons who were on the list of accused would be nabbed soon.
The police team said Saji Shameer was found to be involved in over 100 criminal cases in various parts of Kerala.
Both the accused had close links with gangs operating in similar trade in Kerala and Bangalore.
Complaint
The incident of sexual assault of the minor girl came to light on April 3 when the victim approached the city police to lodge a complaint.
The girl, who was later shifted to the Government Children’s Home, had also shared details about the accused persons and the way she was brought to Kozhikode for the flesh trade.
CRC’s involvement
The investigation in the case had got a fresh impetus when the Child Rights Commission recently took up the issue after it noticed some lapse on the part of the police in tracing the accused.
It had also served show-cause notices to the City Police Commissioner and the Kasaba Circle Inspector for the slow inquiry.
