Kochi: Police have received evidence that a racket was being set up at Hotel No. 18 in Fort Kochi to lure underage girls. The confession of 2 minor girls was recorded before the Magistrate Court. Apart from hotel owner Roy Violet, Saiju Thankachan, a drug dealer, and Anjali Vadakkepura (Anjali Reemadev), a Kozhikode resident who brought the girls to the hotel, were also named in the case.
Roy and Saiju also handed over the Poxo case to the special police team investigating the case in which the models died in the accident. If all the girls who were trapped by the accused give their statements, more poxo cases will be registered against the accused.
Roy has approached the High Court for anticipatory bail. The court has orally directed that the accused not be arrested till Wednesday, when the petition will be considered. The other two accused approached the lawyers in Kochi to file an anticipatory bail application to avoid arrest.
The case was registered following the revelation that two children of Anjali’s consultancy firm employees were sexually abused by giving them drugs. Nine girls have testified against them. Further cases will be registered after their statements are recorded before the magistrate.
Saiju Thankachan’s mobile phone was searched by police in connection with the case in which the models were killed in an accident. Many of the girls testified that they were able to flee the hotel on the day of the incident only because they refused to drink the intoxicated soft drink provided by the hotel.
Attempts were made to similarly trap models who were killed in an accident on the morning of November 1, 2021. When the two left the hotel that day, Saiju followed the car in which they were traveling and caused the accident.
English Summary: More evidence in fort kochi number 18 hotel rape case
