Former senior govt pleader found dead in Kerala's Kollam

Kollam (Kerala), Apr 13 (PTI) Kerala High Court lawyer and former senior government pleader P G Manu was found dead at a home here in this southern district on Sunday morning, police said.
    He was found hanging in a rented house at Anandavaleeswaram, near Kollam, where he had been staying for professional purposes.
    The preliminary inquiry suggests that it was a case of suicide, police said.
    However, the exact reason behind the death is yet unknown, they added.
    Manu, a native of Piravom in Ernakulam district, is an accused in a case pertaining to raping a woman who approached him for legal assistance. Recently, the Supreme Court granted him bail in this case.
    On Sunday morning, junior lawyers went to the house to check after repeated attempts to contact the advocate by phone failed. He was found hanging, sources within the police said.
    It is said that a video had surfaced showing Manu and his family members visiting the house of another woman to apologise in connection with an alleged harassment allegation. Following this, he was reportedly under severe mental distress.
    Police said that inquest procedures have begun and the investigation is underway.
    Last year, in a similar case, he was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting his female client.
    After the case was filed, he resigned from the post of senior government pleader on November 30 last year.
    Manu had served as counsel for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Kerala.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)