Rape-accused Congress MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly suspended from party's Kerala unit

Congress' Kunnappilly, who was absconding after the case was filed against him, on Saturday appeared before the Crime Branch.

Pic Credit: File Photo

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress in Kerala on Saturday suspended rape-accused MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly from the KPCC and DCC memberships for six months, the party said. The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), in a statement, said the explanation provided by the MLA was not satisfactory and the party suspended him from the KPCC and District Congress Committee (DCC) memberships for a period of six months. "The explanation provided by him on the allegations were not satisfactory. As a representative of the people, he failed to exercise due diligence," the KPCC said. A woman had recently filed a rape and attempt to murder case against the Perumbavoor MLA.

Meanwhile, Kunnappilly, who was absconding after the case was filed against him, on Saturday appeared before the Crime Branch as part of the interrogation.
Crime Branch sources said he will be further questioned in the coming days.

Another case against Congress MLA for revealing name of victim

Kerala police had on Friday registered a new case against the Congress MLA for allegedly revealing the name of the victim in a rape and attempt to murder case against him.

Police said the case was registered based on the complaint filed by the victim that the Congress legislator defamed her through online channels.

Congress MLA addresses media, claims innocence

A day after he was granted anticipatory bail by a court in a case of rape and attempt to murder, the Congress leader on Friday appeared before the media and claimed that he was innocent and had done nothing wrong as alleged by the complainant woman.

The two-time legislator expressed confidence that he could prove charges against him as wrong in court and could come out clean.

The police and party leadership had made it clear that he was untraceable after the case was registered against him.

MLA 'rubbishes' victim's allegations

When asked about the victim's charges against him, the MLA rubbished it saying they were all just allegations.

A sessions court in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday granted the Congress MLA anticipatory bail in a case of rape and attempt to murder.

Besides rape and attempt to murder, the Congress MLA has also been charged with assault following a complaint from the alleged victim who stated he had abducted and manhandled her.

The case was filed against three accused, including the MLA's personal assistant and a friend.

The victim claimed that Kunnappilly offered her Rs 30 lakh to settle the case registered against him.