Pantheerankavu dowry case: Court orders counselling for couple

Kozhikode/Kochi: In a recent development in the Pantheerankavu domestic violence case, the High Court has directed both the accused, Rahul P. Gopal, and his wife, the complainant, to undergo counselling. Rahul had petitioned the court to dismiss the case, claiming that all issues with his wife had been resolved and misunderstandings cleared. The complainant, Rahul's wife, also submitted an affidavit to the court supporting this claim. The court subsequently decided to order both parties to undergo counselling and assigned the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) to oversee this process.

The wife assured the court that she was not withdrawing her complaint under any pressure. The court directed that a counselling report be submitted in a sealed envelope by next week. The final decision on whether to dismiss the case will be based on this report.

The court noted that while the allegations were serious, it had to consider the possibility of reconciliation if both parties wished to unite. Until August 21, no action will be taken against the petitioners.

The case involves five accused, including Rahul P. Gopal, who face charges of attempted murder, domestic violence, and dowry abuse. Rahul’s mother and sister are the second and third accused. His friend Rajesh is the fourth accused, and civil police officer Sarath Lal is the fifth.

Initially, the complainant had made grave accusations against Rahul, including attempting to strangle her and inflicting severe beatings. Her family reported the abuse to the police once they became aware of it. However, about a month after these incidents, the complainant retracted her statements, admitting they were false and expressing guilt over misleading the police and media. The woman revealed on her YouTube channel that she had accused her husband Rahul of beating her over dowry demands because her family had pressured her to do so. She stated that she wanted to reconcile with Rahul and hoped to avoid further legal proceedings.