Kochi, Apr 30 (PTI) An FIR under the POCSO Act has been lodged against four persons, among them a VHP leader and a film director, on a complaint by a girl who came into the limelight during the Prayagraj Kumbh Mela and later married her friend, a Muslim man, at a temple in Kerala, police said on Thursday.
A senior police officer said VHP leader and advocate Anil Vilayil and film director Sanoj Mishra are among the four accused in the case.
The FIR was registered on Wednesday following a complaint by the girl, who has accused the director of misbehaving with her while she was shooting for his film, ‘The Diary of Manipur’.
Police officials at Ernakulam Central Police Station said the allegation against Vilayil is that he defamed the complainant on social media platforms.
The complainant also appeared before a magistrate, who recorded her confidential statement on Thursday evening, police said.
Officials said the case would be transferred to Madhya Pradesh Police as the alleged incident occurred in that state.
Police said the case is also linked to a dispute over the marriage, after the girl’s parents claimed she was 16 years old and lodged a complaint against her husband, Farman, at Maheshwar police station in Madhya Pradesh.
The girl, however, has maintained that she is 18 years old.
A team of Madhya Pradesh Police recently visited Kerala to investigate the matter. The Kerala High Court on April 8 granted Farman interim protection from arrest till May 20.
The girl had earlier this month submitted a petition to the state police chief and the Kochi city police commissioner seeking protection, alleging attempts to forcibly take her to Madhya Pradesh.
CPI(M) leaders, including state secretary M V Govindan, Minister V Sivankutty, and Rajya Sabha MP A A Rahim, attended the wedding held at a temple in Thiruvananthapuram last month. PTI HMP TBA SSK
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