In their plea to Kerala High Court, parents have alleged that Manu may be part of a network distributing sexually explicit content online.
Published Aug 12, 2024 | 11:08 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 12, 2024 | 11:08 AM
Kerala High Court. (iStock)
Parents of five victims of alleged sexual abuse committed by a former cricket coach associated with the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) have approached the Kerala High Court seeking a detailed probe into the case.
They further alleged that the investigation had not been proper and that relevant documents were not seized.
Justice A Badhurudeen considered their writ petition on 7 August. During the hearing of the case, he was informed of the alleged sexual harassment by coach Manu at the training centre in Thiruvananthapuram.
Manu, who has been accused of molesting minor girls and taking inappropriate photos of them, was arrested under the POCSO Act and remanded to custody on 7 July. He faces serious accusations dating back nearly two years ago when a complaint was lodged against him for sexually harassing a girl who had enrolled for cricket coaching.
After that, subsequent incidents involving more girls have surfaced, raising questions about the handling of such complaints by the KCA.
As reported by the Bar and Bench, the order noted, “Even though the investigation report filed and the copy of the same has been filed upon the petitioners, the learned counsel for the petitioners would submit that the investigation is not proper and relevant documents not seized. Hence, learned counsel for the petitioners wants to argue the matter in detail.”
The case has been posted for hearing on 3 September.
The plea also alleged that Manu has a history of sexual crimes and he may be a part of a larger criminal network involved in distributing sexually explicit content online.
The petitioners noting that the inappropriate pictures of the minors were taken, contend that the current investigation has been ineffective and urged the court to call for a detailed inquiry, placing the matters in the hands of the State Cyber Crime or Cyberdome Investigation to determine whether any pornographic material was created and misused.
They also sought the appointment of a Special Public Prosecutor in the case.
According to the complaints, Manu allegedly coerced the girls into posing nude under the pretense that these assessments were mandated by the National Selection Committee and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to evaluate their body shape and flexibility.
Reports also suggest that some girls were subjected to sexual assault during coaching sessions in Thenkasi, Tamil Nadu. The KCA has maintained that they were unaware of these incidents, prompting further scrutiny into the matter.
Following the media reports, the State Human Rights Commission observed, “It came to our notice that a year and a half ago, this person was accused of sexually harassing a girl, who arrived for cricket coaching. However, that complaint somehow got compromised. Now, more girls have come forward against him. Despite this, KCA claims they are unaware of such incidents.”
(Edited by Sumavarsha Kandula, with inputs from Dileep V Kumar)
