Mohanararu

Kochi, Aug. 2 (PTI): A woman facing charges in sex racket cases and two others were arrested in connection with the Sabarimala priest scandal.

The arrests were carried out on a complaint filed by the priest, Mohanararu Kantararu, that he was manhandled, threatened and forcibly photographed with a woman on July 23 in her flat.

Prime accused Sobha John, (38), her driver Vigil (32) and helper Anil Kumar (36), had “confessed” to the crime, police said.

The case took several twists and turns as the priest, who first filed a complaint that he was abducted and taken to the flat, later modified his statement, saying he had gone there on his own. But he stuck to his complaint that the accused had taken away jewels, weighing 40 sovereigns, as well as cash and demanded Rs 30 lakh.

The police, which had at first dismissed the complaint as “false”, began an investigation after he modified it.

Expressing happiness at the arrests, Mohanararu, who was removed from the post after the scandal surfaced, told reporters here that once the investigation is complete, everyone would realise that he was innocent.

The police had earlier claimed that the priest was a frequent visitor to the flat and had gone there at least 20 times of late.

Mohanararu’s lawyer K. Ramkumar said the case was moving in the right direction. “The police should investigate the conspiracy behind the attempt to malign the priest and those responsible for it,” he said. “Why the priest had gone to the flat is not important.”

The police are on the lookout for a five-member gang that is believed to have threatened the priest and taken away the valuables.