Congress leader and former Panchayat President of Sultan Batheri, OM George has been booked for raping a 17-year old tribal girl in Wayanad. The 68-year-old leader had reportedly been sexually abusing the minor for a year.

Following a tip-off by Childline authorities in Wayanad, the Sultan Batheri police station registered a case against OM George on Tuesday.

"The girl's father worked as a domestic help at George's house. The girl used to occasionally come there to help her father. They live in the same neighbourhood as George," an officer at the station told TNM.

“A case has been registered under section 376 (2)(n) of the Indian Penal Code (being in a position of control or dominance over a woman, commits rape repeatedly on the same woman, section 5 (penetrative sexual assault on child) and section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault on child) of the POCSO Act and sections 3(2)(v) and 3(1)(w1) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act 1989),” the officer added.

Section 3(2)(v) of the SC/ST act states that any offence under IPC punishable for a term of 10 years or more against person or property will be punished with life term and fine, on the grounds that person or owner of property belongs to SC/ST community.

Section 3(1)(w1) of the SC/ST act deals with punishment for a person who, not being a member of a scheduled caste or a scheduled tribe, intentionally touches a woman belonging to SC/ST in a sexual nature and without the consent of the recipient, knowing that she belongs to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled tribe.

“The case was registered yesterday. We have not received any information regarding the whereabouts of the accused yet. But we have begun investigations,” the officer said.

OM George was a member of the District Congress Committee in Wayanad. Speaking to TNM, senior congress leader MM Hassan said that George has been suspended from the party after the news surfaced on Wednesday. 

(With inputs from Shiba Kurien)