Mumbai/Kannur: The Mumbai cops, who are in Kerala’s Kannur district to probe a sexual abuse case against Binoy Kodiyeri, son of CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, are yet to trace him.

The Mumbai cops had gone to Binoy’s homes at Thalassery, New Mahe and Thiruvangattu in Kannur on Thursday, only to find these locked up. His phone has been switched off. Then the cops gave the notice, asking Binoy to appear for questioning, to the neighbour of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's house in Thalassery.

The Mumbai police team was accompanied by the Kerala Police personnel.

Oshiwara station inspector Vinayak Jadav and constable Devanand Pawar, who have been in Kannur for three days, would leave for Thiruvananthapuram for further probe.

They are likely to make more stringent action, including issuing a search notice, against him.

The cops showed photos of Binoy and the woman, their phone call conversations, and a copy of the FIR to the district police chief and sought his help to take Binoy in custody.

Senior police officers from Mumbai also directly called up the Kannur police chief.

Woman hands over evidence.

Meanwhile, the woman, who alleged that she was sexually exploited for years by Binoy under the pretext of marriage, gave her statement at the Oshiwara Police Station on Thursday. She also reportedly handed over phone call records, their photographs together, and videos to the police. The cops would send these to forensic department to check if they have been fabricated.

The police have reportedly got information that both Binoy and the woman had spent time together in Mumbai.

Congress to raise matter in the Assembly

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief Mullappally Ramachandran said that his party would take up the issue in the Kerala Assembly in the coming days.

"It is a case of sexual assault on a woman and it should be probed. The party does not seek to make any political gains through the character assassination of a person. But the misuse of power by children of political activists should be introspected by all parties and not just the CPM. The party should also probe the allegations," Mullappally said.

It is said the complainant had brought the matter to the attention of the national leadership of the CPM vide a letter two months ago. The CPM central leadership had reportedly conveyed this to the state leaders. However, the CPM top brass in Delhi allegedly took a stand not to intervene in the case. The central leaders also discussed the issue with its leaders from Kerala, when they turned up for talks in the national capital recently.

The central leadership also opined that there was no need for the leaders to intervene in the issue, it is said.

Case history

The complainant is a former bar dancer whom Binoy had met in Dubai years ago. They reportedly had an affair, but after Binoy stopped supporting her financially after having a child with her, she had sent him a legal notice in December, seeking Rs 5 crore. When Binoy ignored this, a case was registered against him at the Oshiwara police station in Mumbai on June 13.

Binoy, in a complaint to the Kannur IG on April 12, had said that neither did he marry the woman nor did he have a son with her. Binoy had given the complaint against the 34-year-old woman, one D Chattopadhyay of Mumbai and certain others whose names he did not know.

Binoy said that these people had send him a threatening letter with false allegations on December 31, 2018.