The brother-in-law of MP Rishad Bathiudeen has been arrested on charges of allegedly sexually abusing a young woman, the Police Spokesman Senior DIG Ajith Rohana says. 

The incident was brought to light amidst the probes carried out into the death of a 16-year-old domestic worker at the parliamentarian’s private residence.

Investigating officers have learned that the brother-in-law of MP Bathiudeen had sexually abused a female who worked as a domestic helper at the parliamentarian’s official residence between 2015 and 2019.

The girl, who is now 22 years of age, had shed light on the matter during police interrogations.

The 44-year-old suspect is reportedly a resident of Medawachchiya area.

In the meantime, three including MP Bathiudeen’s wife, her father and the intermediary who brought the teenage girl to the Bathiudeen residence were taken into custody earlier today.

Suspicions were rife after a 16-year-old girl, who was serving as domestic help at the Bathiudeen residence, succumbed to severe burn injuries on July 15 while receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital.

Reports revealed that she had been under medical care for 12 days since her admission to the hospital on July 03.

The post-mortem on the girl’s death had concluded that she had been sexually exploited.