The Kerala High Court asked the State Police Chief to entrust to a competent officer the investigation charges of a false rape case as well as expedite the investigation.
A woman had alleged that she was raped at the house of the junior health inspector, Pradeep Kumar, when she went there to collect a COVID-19 negative certificate.
Later, she retracted her earlier statement and filed an affidavit before the High Court saying that it was a consensual sexual intercourse.The High Court also granted bail to junior health inspector Pradeep Kumar as inquiry concluded that it was a false case.
The court directed the State Police Chief to conduct an inquiry into the affidavit of the woman and take appropriate action.
The police registered a criminal case against the woman under Section 182 (for providing false information) of the Indian Penal Code.When the inquiry report came up for consideration, Justice P.V. Kunhikrishnan criticised the media for sensationalising the case at the time of registering the First Information Report.
The judge further stated that the sensationalism affected the morale of the health workers who were working hard to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
