more-in The police have traced the mother of the infant who was found abandoned near Kalamassery last week, and intensified search for the father aged around 23 years. The police have traced the mother, who is a minor, to a municipality adjoining the city. The perpetrator had reportedly abused her feigning to be in love and promising to marry her. He then allegedly gave a contract of ?40,000 to one Ebin Jose to abandon the infant. Ebin was taken into custody though he tried to get away by portraying himself as a Good Samaritan who came to the rescue of the infant. The police had got the alleged perpetrator’s mobile number from Ebin and tried to trace the mobile tower location with the help of the cyber cell, but the phone has been in switched-off mode. “We have taken the statement of the victim and have duly registered a case against the perpetrator invoking relevant sections of the IPC pertaining to rape and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. A report will be forwarded to Childline,” a senior police officer said. The girl’s statement was recorded before the Aluva magistrate under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The police had formed multiple teams for an intensive investigation into the case. Ebin had attempted to hand over the one-week-old baby on the night of April 13 to child welfare services. The police, however, suspected that he had volunteered to abandon the baby after taking money. The infant is now under the care of a shelter home in Ernakulam.

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