<p>Thiruvananthapuram: The family of a Kerala temple priest held by the Karnataka police on charges of sexually assaulting a woman from Bengaluru has alleged that the case was fabricated.</p><p>The family filed a petition at the Anthikkad police station in Thrissur alleging that a conspiracy was hatched by a relative owing to a dispute among them. It was also alleged in the petition that the Karnataka police demanded bribes for not arraigning the priest in the case. </p><p>Anthikkad police station house officer told <em>DH</em> that prima facie the matter would not come under their jurisdiction. Hence further steps will be taken after consulting higherups.</p><p>Arun T A (40), an assistant priest at the Sree Vishnumaya Swamy Temple at Peringottukara in Thrissur was arrested by the Bellandur police on Monday. Unni, who is the chief priest of the temple, was also arraigned in the case.</p><p>Unni's family alleged that a dispute was going on among some of the relatives over the administration of the over 400-year-old temple. </p>.Kerala temple assistant arrested for sexually assaulting Bengaluru woman .<p>The woman who lodged the sexual assault complaint is believed to have a close connection with one of those relatives. Even as digital evidence in this regard was provided, the Karnataka police were demanding huge bribe for not proceeding with the case, the family members told reporters.</p><p>A 38-year-old woman from Haralur in Bengaluru said in her complaint that she had approached the temple in November 2024 seeking solution to the problems she was facing after her husband's death. </p><p>Arun offered to help her there was a problem in communicating in Malayalam language. </p><p>Arun claimed that someone had performed black magic on her family, and they were in grave danger. </p><p>He then sought her contact details for further communication and later sexually assaulted her several times and threatened with black magic.</p>
<p>Thiruvananthapuram: The family of a Kerala temple priest held by the Karnataka police on charges of sexually assaulting a woman from Bengaluru has alleged that the case was fabricated.</p><p>The family filed a petition at the Anthikkad police station in Thrissur alleging that a conspiracy was hatched by a relative owing to a dispute among them. It was also alleged in the petition that the Karnataka police demanded bribes for not arraigning the priest in the case. </p><p>Anthikkad police station house officer told <em>DH</em> that prima facie the matter would not come under their jurisdiction. Hence further steps will be taken after consulting higherups.</p><p>Arun T A (40), an assistant priest at the Sree Vishnumaya Swamy Temple at Peringottukara in Thrissur was arrested by the Bellandur police on Monday. Unni, who is the chief priest of the temple, was also arraigned in the case.</p><p>Unni's family alleged that a dispute was going on among some of the relatives over the administration of the over 400-year-old temple. </p>.Kerala temple assistant arrested for sexually assaulting Bengaluru woman .<p>The woman who lodged the sexual assault complaint is believed to have a close connection with one of those relatives. Even as digital evidence in this regard was provided, the Karnataka police were demanding huge bribe for not proceeding with the case, the family members told reporters.</p><p>A 38-year-old woman from Haralur in Bengaluru said in her complaint that she had approached the temple in November 2024 seeking solution to the problems she was facing after her husband's death. </p><p>Arun offered to help her there was a problem in communicating in Malayalam language. </p><p>Arun claimed that someone had performed black magic on her family, and they were in grave danger. </p><p>He then sought her contact details for further communication and later sexually assaulted her several times and threatened with black magic.</p>