In a shocking incident reported from Kerala, a 24-year-old woman was allegedly locked up in a flat in Kochi, where she was tortured and sexually assaulted for months by her live-in partner, Martin Joseph.
As reported by The New Indian Express, after being repeatedly raped and subjected to torture including physical assault, the woman finally managed to flee the captivity and alerted the police. A case of rape, wrongful confinement, criminal intimidation, and threat to life has been registered in the Ernakulam Central police station based on the complaint by the victim.
The incident
The incident that happened in a flat in marine drive, Kochi between February 2020 and-march 2021, was brought to the fore after one of the victim’s friend released images of her with scars and burn marks all over her body.
27-YEAR-OLD RAPED, LOCKED UP & ASSAULTED!
— Mirror Now (@MirrorNow) June 10, 2021
FIR registered by a fashion designer reveals she was locked up in a flat in #Kochi,raped repeatedly & subjected to torture & physical assault by her live-in partner from February 20 to March 8, 2021. Accused is absconding
Vivek reports! pic.twitter.com/oJFDifm5bB
The victim, who is a fashion designer by profession, was in a live-in relationship with the accused businessman Martin Joseph from February 15, 2020.
They had first stayed in a flat in Kadavanthra before relocating to Marine Drive. She claimed that the accused persuaded her to invest Rs 5 lakh in a stock market where he did business, offering her a monthly return of Rs 40,000. However, he did not pay back the money. During her stay last year, the accused reportedly physically and mentally assaulted her, as well as threatening to murder her. Finally, in December 2020, she broke up with him. Later, the victim decided to give the accused another chance and returned to live with him once more.
The Kochi woman was tortured and assaulted, forced to drink urine
As per reports, the victim was imprisoned in the flat and violently assaulted from February 20, 2021, to March 8, 2021.
The accused raped her and took nude images of her, threatening to send them to her parents if she did not cooperate. He had also beaten her with a broom on multiple occasions. He forced her to drink urine. The accused also allegedly inflicted burn injuries on her. The victim further revealed how the accused had many a time beaten her up with a belt, poured hot water mixed with chilli powder on her and tortured her physically and mentally.
State women’s rights panel intervenes, chastises the police for delaying the investigation
The case has been taken up by the state women’s rights panel, which has ordered the police to investigate the matter in detail. It has chastised the police for delaying the investigation and has also directed them to provide protection to the victim. Earlier, the victim said she was being pressured to drop her complaint.
The Ernakulum Central Police had filed an FIR against Martin Joseph based on the woman’s complaint on April 8, as per reports.
Based on the victims’ complaint an FIR has been registered and police have issued a lookout circular against Martin Joseph Pulikkottil, who has been absconding ever since. The woman’s complaint was filed on Ap
According to reports, the Ernakulam Central police have formed a special investigation team to probe the case. The police team divided themselves into two groups and searched several locations in Thrissur and Kozhikode for the accused, who has been absconding ever since the woman filed the complaint.
Accused Martin Joseph applies for anticipatory bail, pleads innocence
Meanwhile, the accused has approached Kerala high court for anticipatory bail. Earlier he had approached district court for anticipatory bail.
Martin Joseph has said in his anticipatory bail petition that he is just 26 years old and that the woman, who first concealed her marital status from him, engaged in a live-in relationship with him. He said she filed a rape case against him after their relationship got strained. Martin’s counsel, Senior advocate P Vijayabhanu, submitted the allegations against his client were false and that he had no prior criminal record.
The Ernakulam Sessions Court, on May 18, however, dismissed Martin’s anticipatory bail application, stating that the accused had forcefully manhandled the woman. The nine photographs depict the victim’s torment at the hands of the assailant, said Additional Sessions Court Judge D Suresh Kumar while dismissing Martin’s bail application.
Later, on June 8 (Tuesday), the High Court also adjourned the hearing in the anticipatory bail petition of the accused to June 11.
