A charity home director was arrested by the Kerala police on Thursday for allegedly raping a 12-year-old resident.
Joseph Mathew, the director of a home in Pampady of Kotayam district for the children of prisoners, was arrested based on the complaint filed by a 12-year-old girl.
Joseph is also the director of Correction India institution, that functions for the welfare of prisoners. He was working as a chartered accountant in the US, before he quit his job to start the children’s home in 1989. He started by visiting jails and adopting children of the jail inmates, as kids are not allowed to stay with their parents in once they turn five.
Following his arrest, 12 other children from the centre have been shifted to a different home.
The incident came to light when the survivor’s school teachers noticed some changes in her. The school informed the police, following which the girl opened about the crime.
After this, Joseph went absconding and was arrested by police near Kuttikanam on Thursday.
“The incident happened in 2016. The case was charged under section 9 of POCSO Act. More details can be revealed only after proper investigation,” N Ramachandran, Kottayam district police chief told TNM.
The home where the incident happened has been providing services to children of prisoners for several years now.