Manu, who had earlier been accused in a rape case in 2023, was out on bail when he was again accused of raping another woman—the wife of Johnson Joy, a man who was once his client.
Kerala: The Kerala Police have arrested Johnson Joy in connection with the tragic death of PG Manu, a former government pleader, who was found dead by suicide on April 13 in Kollam.
Manu, who had earlier been accused in a rape case in 2023, was out on bail when he was again accused of raping another woman—the wife of Johnson Joy, a man who was once his client.
As the case made headlines, Manu resigned as a senior government pleader. He tried to get anticipatory bail from both the Kerala High Court and the Supreme Court, but failed.
However, while on bail, Manu was accused again—this time by the wife of Johnson Joy.
Johnson Joy had previously been arrested in an attempt to murder case. His wife had sought legal help from PG Manu during his time in jail.
After Joy was released, his wife informed him that Manu had blackmailed and raped her.
ALSO READ: Kerala High Court Grants Bail to Advocate PG Manu in Rape Case
In November, Johnson Joy, along with Manu’s wife and sister, met Manu. During this meeting, Joy recorded a video of the conversation.
In the video, Joy can be heard angrily scolding Manu. He told Manu:
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself.”
He also said:
“You should take your own life.”
This video clip began circulating in legal circles about two weeks ago, and it was expected that a police complaint would soon be filed. Just a few days later, Manu was found dead at his home in Kollam.
According to police sources, Joy had been blackmailing Manu for several months. He had even involved media persons to pressure Manu.
Details Of the First Rape Case
In early 2023, a woman had approached PG Manu for legal advice. She later filed a complaint saying that Manu sexually assaulted her at his office. She also accused him of sharing her private pictures without permission.
After this complaint, the police registered an FIR (First Information Report) against him. The charges included rape and offences under the Information Technology (IT) Act.
PG Manu tried to get anticipatory bail, first from the Kerala High Court and then from the Supreme Court, but both courts rejected his request.
Details of Second Allegation Just Before His Death
Recently, another serious allegation came up against Manu. A video clip became viral where a man was seen confronting Manu and accusing him of raping his wife.
The man claimed that his wife had gone to Manu for legal help, but Manu forced her and raped her.
The video spread quickly among lawyers and legal professionals, and reports said that a new police complaint was likely to be filed soon.
If the complaint was filed, it would have been considered a violation of his bail conditions, and Manu could have been arrested again.
In January 2023, he was arrested and sent to judicial custody. He was later granted bail in March 2023, with strict conditions. One major condition was that he should not commit any new crime while out on bail.
After the FIR was filed in the first case, PG Manu resigned from his post as Senior Government Pleader.
If a new FIR had been registered based on the fresh rape allegation, Manu could have been jailed again for violating his earlier bail conditions.
Joy has now been arrested by the police in connection with abetment of suicide, blackmail, and other charges.
