The woman had last week gone back on her original statement against the swami alleging sexual assualt.
A fresh twist has emerged in the Kerala case from last month where a woman chopped off a swami's genitals alleging she was being raped by him for years. A few days ago, the woman had retracted her earlier statement saying that the self-styled godman was innocent. Now, her boyfriend has come out to claim that the woman is under the strict control of some activists of the Sangh Parivar, reported The News Minute.
On May 20, the 23-year-old woman had cut off the genitals of a 54-year-old godman Gangeshananda Theerthapada alias Hariswami when he allegedly tried to rape her at her home in Pettah in Thiruvananthapuram. Later, in a letter dated June 12, the woman said that she had not been sexually abused by the godman.
Now, her boyfriend has approached the Kerala High Court claiming that she was forced to change her statement under pressure. He also said that the woman has been illegally confined at a place in Nedumangad in Thiruvananthapuram. A habeas corpus petition seeking for her release from ‘forceful confinement’ has been filed by the 35-year-old Ayyappadas, a native Kottarakkara, Kollam.
“She was forcibly removed from their house at Kannamoola in Thiruvananthapuram and was illegally confined in a house at Nedumangad under the strict control of certain activists of Sangh Parivar and assisted by advocate Ajith, who is the counsel of the Swami,” the petition, filed through advocate MSV, Namboothiri says.
The swami was unlikely to get bail soon for his offences, and hence a 'criminal conspiracy' was hatched by 'some activists of the Sangh Parivar' along with an 'efficient criminal lawyer', the petition says.
Ayyappadas also claims to have been in a relationship with the woman for several months.
“To save their face, members of the RSS have forcefully made the girl change her statement and write the letter to advocate Ajith Kumar. The woman is in their custody against her will and she should be produced before the court,” advocate Namboothiri told TNM.
Meanwhile, the police have approached a court seeking permission to conduct scientific tests, including a lie detector test, on the young woman victim after she retracted her earlier confession.
The woman in her complaint had stated that the accused has been known to her family for the past few years and has been harassing her since she was a minor.
A case had been registered against the accused under various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and IPC 376 (punishment for rape).
(With agency inputs)
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