The self-proclaimed godman, whose genitals were gashed by a woman a day ago after an alleged attempt at sexual assault, has been remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.
The police said Gangeshananda Theerthapada, alias Hari Swami, was remanded until June 3 by the magistrate who went to the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital, where the accused is undergoing treatment.
A request put forth by the police to transfer him to the holding cell at the medical college will be considered by the magistrate once his health stabilises.
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The 23-year-old survivor, who was in the Pettah police station since the incident came to light, was shifted to a shelter home run by the Social Justice Department on Sunday. Her family has shifted to a relative’s house, the police said. The police also clarified that, contrary to certain reports, no case had been registered against the survivor.
Family’s charge
Meanwhile, the woman’s family alleged that the accused had swindled them of ₹40 lakh in the past few years. He had also allegedly taken possession of a car the family owned. However, the police were yet to ascertain the veracity of such claims.
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The accused had allegedly raped the woman on multiple instances right from the time she was in Class 10. The accused, who hails from Kollenchery in Ernakulam, used to stay with the family whenever he visited Thiruvananthapuram. On Friday, when he allegedly threatened her using a knife and attempted to rape her, the woman snatched the knife and reportedly gashed his genitals. He has been named accused under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and those relating to rape under the Indian Penal Code.