Kochi: A man accused of embezzling money from the father of the five-year-old girl, who was brutally raped and murdered in Aluva, is apparently trying to make amends for his actions by promising to return Rs 50,000 owed to the family.

The accused man, identified as Muneer, had borrowed a total amount of Rs 1,20,000 from the family on various occasions, promising that he would keep it safe. Later on, he is said to have returned Rs 70,000 to them. However, he promised to return the rest of the money after the news of his wrongdoing came out. In a bid to retrieve the money, the girl’s father had earlier threatened to lodge a police complaint against Muneer.    

Muneer, who is the husband of a Mahila Congress leader, established a relationship with the victim’s family by acting as a translator. He seems to have borrowed money from the girl's family between August 5 and August 10.  

After he failed to return the money, a settlement meeting was held in the presence of two other people between the girl's father and Munner. Munner agreed to return the remaining sum to the family by December 20. A sort of promissory note was signed by the accused as well. 

Meanwhile, Muneer is claiming that all he did was withdraw money using an ATM card handed over to him by the girl’s father. Muneer also accused the girl’s father of being a drug addict and stated that there was an existing case against him at the police station.