Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 16 (BPNS)
After five days since he is absconding and incommunicable, there is no trace of the Opposition Congress MLA in Kerala, Eldhose Kunnumpallil. The second-term legislator from Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district is accused of rape by a woman private school teacher.
Kerala Police have registered a rape case against the MLA after the complaint from the woman.
The woman had charged that Eldhose had taken her to several places and physically abused her and promised to marry her. The MLA is already married and settled in Perumbavur.
Eldhose in a social media post immediately after he absconded said that he was innocent and that he was being framed. The MLA has already moved for anticipatory bail and the case is coming for hearing on October 20th the court has directed the police not to arrest the MLA before the hearing of his anticipatory bail petition is completed. The Thiruvananthapuram additional sessions court is to hear the case on October 20th and the MLA , according to sources close to him will continue in hiding till the hearing is over. The MLA camp is also planning to move Kerala High Court if Thiruvananthapuram additional sessions court rejects his anticipatory bail plea.
The CPI-M and BJP have stepped up their agitation against the MLA in Perumbavoor. The posters of the MLA as a missing person are pasted across the constituency by the youth wing of the CPI-M, DYFI. The BJP youth wing, Yuvamorcha also conducted a protest march on Saturday towards the MLA office and burnt the effigy of Eldhose Kunnumpallil.
The opposition Congress party in Kerala which was about to take up the issue of human sacrifice and the failure of Kerala police to curb such issues is on the backfoot after the rape allegation against MLA surfaced. The Congress party was also planning a series of agitations against the European visit of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan along with his family members and cabinet colleagues.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President, K. Sudhakaran and leader of the opposition, V.D. Satheeshan had said that the party will take action against Eldhose after a version from him and a letter have been given to him for an explanation.
Organisationally, Eldhose is only a KPCC member but a two-term MLA and is credited for wresting the sitting seat of the CPI-M.
