Palani rape case takes a U turn after lodge owner accuses the woman and her partner of threats.

Chennai, July 13(BPNS)

The allegation that a woman was subjected to rape at the temple town of Palani on June 19^th has turned murkier with the owner of the lodge who was accused of having gang-raped the woman with his accomplices stating that the woman and her partner had threatened him with dire consequences if money was not given.

The lodge owner Muthu while speaking to IANS over the telephone from Palani said,” In fact, the couple came to my lodge and told me that they were mother and son and took a room. The next day they entered into a brawl after consuming liquor and later in the day they left the lodge with their belongings and without paying money. This was on June 20^th. On June 25^th they came back and took their Aadhar card and requested some money which I gave them and then they left.”

He adds,” On July 6^th, I received a call stating that it was from the Thalassery police and asked me to give money or to face the consequences of rape. I said I will not pay and after this, I am hearing about these charges.”

Meanwhile, a senior officer with the Tamil Nadu police told BPNS  “The woman and the man are not husband and wife and instead are living together and we have got information on this.”

The woman had complained that she was gang-raped by a group of three persons by taking her forcibly to the lodge and beating up her husband and that the culprits had injured her private parts using beer bottles.

However, Kerala police investigating officer and DySP of Thalassery in Kannur district, Moosa Vallikadan while speaking to BPNS on Friday had said that according to the medical report provided by the Government Medical College, Kannur there were no such injury marks. The DySp had then said that the wounds would have healed as the alleged incident had taken place on June 20^th and the report was garnered on July 9^th.

With the new allegation leveled by the owner of the Palani lodge coming to the fore, the Special Investigation Team constituted by the Tamil Nadu Police will be conducting a detailed interrogation of the woman and her partner.