Thiruvananthapuram: Three days after the Kerala police booked Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkuttatil on fees of rape and compelled abortion, the police have widened their investigation and booked extra Congress leaders for insulting the survivor and revealing particulars about her identification on social media.
The controversy comes because the state plans to carry municipal polls on December 9 and 11. The election is particularly essential for Congress, which has been at odds with the state since 2016. The social gathering’s election marketing campaign has primarily centered on corruption allegations in opposition to the ruling Left Entrance and the Sabarimala gold theft scandal.
Police on Sunday arrested Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) normal secretary Sandeep Varrier, Mahila Congress Pathanamthitta secretary Renjita Purikal and advocate Deepa Joseph. Police earlier arrested males’s rights activist Rahul Eashwar in reference to the case.
All these booked are stated to have been posting statements on social media for the previous few days defending Palakkad MLA Mamkuttashir.
Vallier stated the “false lawsuit” in opposition to him was politically motivated. “I’ve by no means revealed the identification of the complainant. I intend to legally struggle this false case filed in opposition to me as a result of another person misappropriated a photograph I posted a 12 months in the past after I attended her wedding ceremony. I’ll method the honorable judiciary at the moment for justice,” he wrote in a Fb submit.
He added that the Pinarayi Vijayan authorities was attempting to divert consideration from points such because the Sabarimala gold-plating controversy.
ThePrint reached out to Valier for remark by cellphone, however his cellphone was turned off. This report shall be up to date if he responds.
Opposition chief VD Satheesan stated on Monday that the social gathering won’t help anybody accused of wrongdoing. “Let the regulation proceed by itself. Regardless of who does incorrect, the social gathering won’t ever help the regulation,” Satheesan instructed the media in his column.
The transfer comes days after a lady met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and filed a grievance alleging that she was sexually assaulted and compelled to have an abortion by the Palakkad MLA.
This was the primary official grievance in opposition to a Congress MLA. Instantly after this, Thiruvananthapuram’s Valiyamala police station began an investigation.
The Congress MLA, who was actively campaigning for native physique polls in Palkad final week, has been absconding ever for the reason that case was registered.
He denied the fees in an anticipatory bail utility filed on Friday, calling them politically motivated.
In August, the Congress social gathering suspended the Palakkad MLA from key members of the social gathering after a number of allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced on social media. Mamkutasil resigned from his submit as chairman of the social gathering’s Youth Congress on the time.
The problem has additionally prompted rifts inside parliament, as many social gathering leaders and supporters have attacked social gathering leaders, together with MP Rajmohan Uneesan, for talking out in opposition to Mamkootatil on social media.
Satheesan additionally confronted flak on social media following Rahul’s suspension from the social gathering.
(Edited by Sague Kitty)
Additionally learn: Rahul Mamkootasil — a younger widespread determine in Congress within the eye of the storm amid sexual misconduct backlash
