THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The special investigation team probing the sexual harassment case of a minor girl by the former imam of Tholicode Jama Ath, Shafeek
Al Qasimi
, has recorded the arrest of two persons for aiding the imam to evade arrest.
The arrested are: Ahammed Kabeer, 39, of Muthuvila near Kallara and Al Ameen, 39, of Machingal near Tripunithura. They are the first two persons to be arrested in the case. Qasimi is still absconding.
Kabeer is the imam's brother-in-law besides being the imam of another
mosque
at Tholicode. Al Ameen is the imam's younger brother. While Kabeer's arrest was recorded on Thursday night, Al Ameen's was recorded on Friday.
The police said they were arrested for helping Qasimi escape after committing the crime. After fleeing from the Kudumbashree workers, who confronted him for bringing the 15-year-old girl to a wooded area near Peppara, Shafeek had taken refuge in Kabeer's residence. The next day, he went to Al Ameen's residence at Machingal till the police registered a case. After the case was registered, two SDPI activists visited him and handed over a sum of Rs 2 lakh to stay off the radar of the police.
The two arrested persons were produced before the Pocso special court here on Friday. However, the court has granted them bail.