A 38-year-old Navy officer from Mumbai was arrested on charges of raping a woman in Kottayam district of Kerala, said the police on Sunday.
The accused, Murali Kumar, is also a two-time holder of Mr Asia title and eight-time winner of Mr India title. He was sent to judicial custody on Saturday (September 1) after the victim's father lodged a police complaint at the Kottayam West police station, stating that Kumar raped his daughter after making a false promise to marry her, the police said.
The chief petty officer of Navy had allegedly befriended the woman through social media. The victim is 22 years old.
According to the police investigation, Kumar was a bodybuilder from Kerala and is based in Mumbai. He is a native of Varissery near Kottayam but resides in the financial capital of India with his wife and family.
Kumar won his first Mr India title in 2013 and continued to win the same the following year. Kumar is being said to come to his native place on vacation. He then lured the woman on the pretext of marrying her and took her into a hotel room, where he allegedly sexually abused her.
As per the reports, the woman had developed excessive bleeding after which the accused himself rushed her to a hospital. There she underwent emergency surgery.
The victim had reportedly met Kumar a few months ago for the first time during a social event. Both got acquainted over the weeks via telephone and conversations through social media. The police officer recorded the victim's statement which said that Kumar had abused her after promising that he would marry her.
A report will be filed by the police here with naval authorities on the incident. Kumar has also been levied with a charge under the SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act.
