KOCHI: The Additional District Sessions Court (atrocities against women and children) on Tuesday sent Neyyattinkara native Christal Raj who is accused of abducting and raping a minor to police custody for seven days. Police also arrested three migrant workers who allegedly bought stolen mobile phones from Christal.
It was on September 8, that Christal broke into the house of the eight-year-old victim and abducted her. She was taken to a place near her house where she the accused sexually harassed her. Christal who is involved in multiple criminal cases was arrested the same day.
Police approached the court seeking 10 days custody of the accused. The petition which was filed on Tuesday morning was considered by the court for hearing in the afternoon. Police submitted before the court that evidence collection in the case is pending for which the accused is required in custody. Similarly, police are checking whether any other person is involved in the incident. Christal has to be questioned for the purpose. Considering the gravity of the case, the court granted seven days of custody of Christal to the police.
Meanwhile, police arrested West Bengal natives Mustaqin Molla, 31, Bilal Biswas, 41, and Muhammed Mandal, 36, for buying stolen phones from Christal. Police said Mustaqin had been buying stolen mobile phones from Christal for the past five years. They found that Christal had stolen two mobile phones from other houses before trespassing into the victim’s house.
“We have registered a separate case against the friends of Christal who used to buy stolen mobile phones from him. Two of the arrested persons lived near the house of the victim. Christal will also be arraigned as accused in the case,” said the police.
