Former Kerala government pleader PG Manu was found dead at his residence in Anandavallishwaram, Kollam, on Saturday, April 13. His death comes a day after a video surfaced online, in which he was confronted by a family accusing him of multiple instances of sexual assault, including rape.
The video, which began circulating on April 12, showed a family confronting Manu over serious allegations of sexually assaulting multiple women. In the video, the man behind the camera accused Manu of raping a woman (who was also present at the scene) by threatening her. A child was heard in the video testifying that Manu attempted to assault his mother in a car. Manu’s relative was also seen pleading with the family, apologising and urging them to let the matter go “just this once.”
However, the man says that the survivor had suffered a lot and has still not recovered from the horrific incident.
Throughout the video, Manu does not deny the allegations, and appears to admit that “the incident happened.” The video ends on a disturbing note, with the man filming telling Manu, “Please go die yourself, at least your death will be dignified.”
Manu had previously been booked under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 376 (rape), Section 354 (outraging the modesty of a woman), and Section 506 (criminal intimidation), as well as provisions under the Information Technology Act. The survivor in that case had approached Manu in 2018 for legal help in a serious criminal matter. She later alleged that Manu raped her on October 9, 2023, at his office under the pretext of legal consultation.
The man in the latest viral video had referenced this case, questioning why Manu had not learned from it and continued to assault women.
According to the FIR, Manu went on to assault her again on October 24 and 29, and secretly recorded private photos and videos on his phone without consent. After the case was registered, Manu allegedly tried to negotiate a settlement with the survivor’s family.
In a phone conservation accessed by The News Minute, Manu could be heard pleading with the survivor’s family: “Please don’t destroy my life. I am about to be selected for the judges’ panel. I will fall at your feet.” He also offered to pay compensation.
Despite the gravity of the charges, Manu was granted bail by the Kerala High Court in March 2024.