Prime suspect in abuse of children case held

A special team of Crime Branch CID police on Wednesday arrested D. Immanuel of Mogappair who was wanted in connection with a case pertaining to the abuse of children lodged at a home in Mogappair and Semmanchery here.

On information that some children were kept under suspicious circumstances in a house at Semmancherry, police raided the premises January 20 and found 10 Manipuri children in the custody of Sikkanthar Singh, Bakhim Singh and Longjam Nunshi Singh.

Enquiries revealed that the children were brought from Manipur by Rakesh and his associate Herojith allegedly with the consent of the parents.

According to sources in the agency, the children were kept in Reach Child Home run by Immanuel at Golden George Nagar in Mogappair East during August last year.

10 children rescued

Police rescued the 10 children from Semmanchery and seven others from the home.

Since there was no proof to substantiate that the children were sent with the parents consent, all the 17 children, including one from Tamil Nadu, were entrusted to the custody of Child Welfare Committee, Chennai.

Interaction with the children by counsellors revealed that they were illegally detained and abused by persons running the home.

On a complaint preferred by D.P. Manorama, Chairman, Child Welfare Committee to Additional Director-General of Police (CBCID) Archana Ramasundaram, a special team led by DSP Balusamy was formed to investigate the case.

Preliminary investigation confirmed that Rakesh and Hero Samom alias Herojit Samom and Longjam Nurgshi Singh had brought 19 children from Manipur after getting Rs.10,000 each from the parents with the assurance of providing free education and boarding/lodging.

At the home, the children were allegedly abused by Immanuel and others and the children were forced to do manual labour.

They were not provided adequate food and made to drink unhygienic water. It came to light that A. Albert Karunakaran of Purasawalkam had abetted the accused.

While Albert was arrested on Tuesday, Rakesh, Herojith, Longjam Nungshi Singh and Bakhim Singh were already arrested and sent to remand in the case.

Following a tip-off, the team arrested Immanuel on Wednesday night at Puzhal. He was produced in an Alandur court and remanded to judicial custody, the sources added.