The court had asked police to produce the accused while seeking custody Investigating official informed the bench that the accused is undergoing treatment The girl chopped off the genitals of Swami after he allegedly tried to rape her
Thiruvananthapuram Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) remanded Swami Gangeshananda Theerthapada aka Sreehari in three days police custody. The court also scolded police for seeking his custody without producing him before the bench.
The court had directed police to produce Gangeshananda, whose genitals were allegedly chopped off by a 23-year-old law student, to check on his health condition. However, the police submitted custody application without bringing him to the court which provoked the bench.
However, as per the records filed before the court, the accused was in police custody, and bench sought an explanation and asked the police to clarify 'under whose custody is the accused now?'
The investigating officer informed the court that Gangeshananda is under the custody of jail officials. The officer also told that Gangeshananda is undergoing treatment at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital and hence could not be produced before the court.
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The Swami was booked for rape under POCSO Act after the woman, who chopped off his genitals, gave the statement that he had been abusing her since school days.
