Actor Koottickal Jayachandran comes out of hiding

KOZHIKODE: Actor Koottickal Jayachandran appeared at the Kasaba police station on Thursday for questioning related to the POCSO case. Jayachandran was absconding for almost six months fearing arrest in the case but turned up at the station today. The complainant, a relative of Jayachandran alleged that the actor sexually assaulted her four-year-old daughter.

The Supreme Court had stayed the actor's arrest until the 28th of next month. It is suggested that no arrest should be made until the verdict comes in the anticipatory bail plea. The court sent a notice to the state government and adjourned the petition to February 28.

Jayachandran's bail plea was rejected by the High Court earlier in the case. The actor then approached the Supreme Court and argued that the POCSO case was a sham, misused by the complainant to settle scores over a family dispute.

The alleged incident took place last year. The victim’s parents were separated and she was living with her mother. It is alleged that the actor assaulted the minor girl at this house. The girl first revealed this incident to her grandmother. She then repeated the same to the psychologist and the magistrate. A medical examination revealed injuries that were suspected of torture. A case was registered on the complaint of the child's mother.