Congress’s Perumbavoor MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly, who is facing rape charge, has been booked for attempt to murder by the Crime Branch wing of the Kerala police
The Crime Branch wing of the Kerala Police has, on Tuesday, slapped a more serious charge of attempt-to-murder against Eldhose Kunnapilliyil based on a complaint from a woman
Crime Branch sources said the charge under section 307 of IPC (attempt to murder) was added against the MLA, who is still on the run, on the basis of the confessional statement the victim recorded before the Magistrate as well as the testimonials she had given to the investigating officer.
It was on 28 September that a woman filed an sexual assault complaint against Eldhose. However, the registration of the case was delayed as Eldhose and even the police, as the woman claims, tried to settle the case. Later, on 11 October, the Kerala police registered a case against Eldhose based on the complaint from the woman.
According to her complaint, a drunk Eldhose came uninvited to her house near Kovalam and thrashed her. She alleged that later, on the same day, Eldhose took her to Thiruvananthapuram and harmed her. On October 13, the police filed rape charges against Eldhose Kunnappilly, as the woman gave a statement to this effect
Eldhose was charged with rape on false marriage promises, insulting womanhood, kidnapping, trespassing, and assault based on the complaint of the same woman, who had earlier alleged that the MLA had abducted and manhandled her.
The woman alleged that the MLA offered Rs 30 lakh to settle the matter. She also alleged that the Kovalam police asked her to withdraw and settle the complaint against the MLA
Besides rape and attempt to murder, the Congress MLA has been charged with assault following a complaint from the same woman.