The Eluru district police have registered a case against District Childline Services-1098 Coordinator N. Sateesh on the charges of ‘extortion’ for allegedly attempting to hush up an early age marriage and forcing the bridegroom’s family to sign an agreement for ‘financial commitment’.
The police swung into action a day after the Andhra Pradesh Women Commission directed the Eluru district authorities to probe the case, in which the role of the childline services and District Child Welfare Committee is under investigation.
Eluru III-Town Circle Inspector K. Vara Prasad told The Hindu on September 11; “A case has been registered against N. Sateesh, Eluru District Coordinator, Childline Services-1098, on the charges of the extortion in connection with the early age marriage. The investigation commenced on Monday”. The early age marriage was held last week.
The bridegroom’s mother has lodged a complaint with the Eluru police, narrating the details of the case and the way her family was forced to sign a written agreement.
Last week, the written agreement was signed on the Childline Services office campus and it mandated the bridegroom’s family to pay ₹50,000 to the bride.
Meanwhile, the Women and Child Welfare authorities have also launched an investigation into the case to submit a report to the Andhra Pradesh State Women Commission.