Kozhikode, May 17 (IANS) The Kerala police on Friday took into custody the friend of a bridegroom accused of domestic violence after the intervention of Governor Arif Mohammed Khan.

Rajesh was taken into custody by the newly appointed police probe team as he knew the whereabouts of the accused bridegroom, Rahul, who has left the country and reached Germany.

The case of Rahul beating up his wife surfaced on Tuesday and since then the media has been gunning for the police for allegedly allowing Rahul to escape.

It was revealed only a few days back that Rahul was holding a German passport. On Friday with Rajesh in custody, it was confirmed that the two travelled to Bengaluru and from there Rahul flew out of the country on Wednesday.

The woman and Rahul, 29, an aeronautical engineer hailing from Kozhikode and working in Germany, got married on May 5. His wife alleged that she faced a harrowing time at his hands at his house on May 11 night. When her family came to her in-laws house on May 12, her travails surfaced and she told her mother how she was beaten and strangulated with a mobile charger by Rahul.

The victim informed the police that Rajesh was present in the house when Rahul was beating her.

The victim’s parents took their daughter back with them on May 12 and registered a case of domestic violence.

On Friday the Kerala police issued a ‘blue corner notice’ against Rahul and began taking steps to extradite him.

With the parents accusing the mother and sister of Rahul of being involved in her harassment, the police served a notice to both to appear before them.

The duo were not in the house when the police reached there to take their statement on Wednesday.

While Khan said he is shocked over what he has been hearing about this case, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan slammed the police for failing to act in time which enabled Rahul to fly out of the country.