The Pathanamthitta police on Wednesday arrested a 28-year-old man for allegedly swindling money from the mother of an accused in a child sex abuse case.
The accused, identified as Jomon Mathew, 28, is the brother of Joji Mathew, the prime accused in the Chenneerkkara sex abuse case, where a minor girl was reportedly abused by over 60 individuals. According to the police, Jomon defrauded Lilli George, the mother of the second accused in the case, out of ₹8.65 lakh.
The fraud took place in multiple instalments under the pretence of funding legal expenses related to the case.
False claim
“He falsely claimed that the money was required for securing bail, hiring lawyers, handling court procedures, avoiding police custody, and even amending the First Information Report (FIR),” a police official stated. The accused also allegedly intimidated the woman, warning her that her son could face severe penalties, including death sentence, while misleading her about the bail process.
The deception began on January 17, when Jomon initially obtained ₹15,000, before using intermediaries to demand larger sums.
Following a complaint from the woman, the Pathanamthitta police registered a case and arrested the accused from Elanthoor.
Published – March 12, 2025 08:36 pm IST