"Will prove my innocence in court," MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly returns to Perumbavoor

Eldhose Kunnappilly
Eldhose Kunnappilly

Perumbavoor: MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly reached his residence here on Friday after securing an anticipatory bail in the woman assault case.

The Perumbavoor MLA, who had gone incommunicado after being accused of rape, said he was innocent and that he would prove it in court.

"I haven't harmed a single person. I will prove my innocence in court. You can lay any charge on me. I have full belief in the court," he told Manorama News.

"I was not absconding. I was present in front of the court. My anticipatory bail application was with the court. I will appear before the court tomorrow," he added.

The Additional Sessions Court granted anticipatory bail to Kunnappilly on Thursday. The court directed him to appear before the investigating officer on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Kunnappilly informed the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) leadership, which had sought an explanation from the MLA, that he was innocent and the case was fabricated.

In his letter to KPCC, Eldhose stated that the case was politically motivated.

"She (the complainant) introduced herself as an employee of a PR agency. Later, we became friends. However, I have not harmed her physically. The only aim behind this false complaint is to break me politically," he wrote in the letter.

His defendant's lawyer has argued in court that the complainant has filed cases against several others in the past as well.

There is a complaint against the woman also.

In his letter to KPCC, Eldhose laid out the details of the case against the complainant and pleaded that the committee hears his side of the story before taking any action regarding his suspension.

The party leadership assesses that there's been a failure on the part of Eldhose. According to the leadership, by going incommunicado, Kunnappilly 'weakened' the party's image in the state.

KPCC president K Sudhakaran has ordered an investigation into the issue. A call on his continuance would be taken after holding consultations with senior leaders.

It was on September 28 that the woman, a teacher residing in Pettah, filed an assault complaint against Kunnappilly. However, the registration of the case was delayed as the MLA and even the police, as the woman claims, tried to settle the case.

She alleges that Kunnappilly had at one point even offered her Rs 30 lakh to withdraw the complaint.

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