The Koothattukulam police have registered a case against the municipal chairperson, vice chairperson, and CPI(M) local party office-bearers for the alleged abduction of municipal councillor Kala Raju of the party on Saturday.
P.B. Ratheesh, CPI(M) area secretary, Koothattukulam; Vijaya Sivan, municipal chairperson; Sunny Kuriakose, vice chairperson; Suma Vishwambharan, councillor, and Febeesh George, CPI(M) local secretary, were arraigned as the first five accused along with 45 other identifiable persons.
The case was registered on a petition by Ms. Raju’s son. The police registered the case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 140(3) abduction, 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 115(2) (voluntarily cause hurt), 189(2) (unlawful assembly), 191(2) (rioting), and 190 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object).
According to the first information report, the accused dragged Ms. Raju out of a car in front of the municipal office, assaulted her, and then abducted her ahead of the discussion and voting for the no-confidence motion to be taken up by the municipal council.
District Congress Committee president Mohammed Shiyas accused the police of inaction for over five hours despite knowing that Ms. Raju was being assaulted and wrongfully restrained at the CPI(M) area committee office. Only after Ms. Raju called her children did the police act and registered a case. Later, she was left behind in the hospital, he said.
“We will offer Ms. Raju both legal and political support. Besides, we will approach the court with a contempt of court petition against the police and the CPI(M) as the High Court had ordered that councillors should be given protection,” he said.
However, Mr. Ratheesh, the first accused, denied having ‘abducted’ Ms. Raju and instead claimed that she had tagged along the CPI(M) councillors on her own volition. He further claimed that the petition was moved by Ms. Raju’s children without her knowledge. “We were the ones who came under attack from UDF councillors,” he said.
Meanwhile, Anoop Jacob, MLA, said the ‘abduction’ in broad daylight proved that the CPI(M) would stoop to any level to remain in power. The shameful act was played out in the presence of the Muvattupuzha Deputy Superintendent of Police and the Koothattukulam inspector. Things have reached such a passe in Kerala that the CPI(M) is no longer willing to face election in a democratic manner, he added.
Published – January 18, 2025 11:55 pm IST
