NEDUMANGAD: Shafeek Al-Qasimi (37), the Muslim cleric who was arrested for an alleged sexual assault on a minor girl, has been remanded for four days along with Fazil (38) who assisted him in the act, by the Nedumangad Court.

The accused were absconding after the act for several days following the incident and was finally caught from Archana Lodge near Madurai Kalavasal Temple. They went to over sixteen places for hiding after changing their attire and looks.

Shafeek left the place after the controversy spread. On tracing the mobile, the police got information that the accused was in Ooty. But he managed to escape before the police came. There were reports that Shafeek was in Madurai, but couldn’t be caught. The arrest of Noushad, Perumbavoor native and the relative of the accused paved the way for Shafeek’s arrest. When the shadow police reached Madurai for the second time, the Celerio car rented by the accused was found in front of the lodge. On receiving the info, a police team consisting of Rural District Police Chief B. Asokan and Rural District Crime Branch DySP D. Asokan arrested the accused. SP Asokan said that Shafeek has confessed to his crime. In addition to the sexual assault case, another case has been charged against the accused for revealing the name of the victim through an audio clip.