Kerala: Cong asks police to register case against CPI(M)leader for 'defaming' Sudhakaran

Thiruvananthapuram, June 19 (IANS) The Kerala unit of Congress on Monday demanded that the police register a case against CPI(M) state secretary M.V.Govindan and the party organ 'Deshabhimani' over utterances and "false" report regarding State Congress president K.Sudhakaran.

On Sunday, the party organ published a report which was later referred to at a press conference by Govindan that Sudhakaran was present at the residence of now-jailed fraud antique dealer Monson Mavunkal when he was sexually abusing his domestic help's daughter.

The report and statement came a day after Mavunkal was sentenced to life by the Ernakulam District POCSO court.

The case surfaced in 2022, when he was already in jail in a cheating case, after his former domestic help petitioned the police that her minor daughter sexually assaulted him in July 2019 at his house.

Mavunkal had promised to take care of her higher education. The Court, on Saturday, found the man guilty of the crime and sentenced him to life.

It's deplorable that Govindan, who is a teacher by profession, has resorted to saying sleaze, which has no iota of truth, Sudhakaran told the media on Monday.

"I have repeatedly said I have no clue of this case and I stand by it. Will seek legal recourse against the news of the party organ and also against Govindan who has stooped to levels which no politician with any scruples will do," said Sudhakaran. If there are any leaders in CPI(M) with scruples left, they should react against this heinous act.

Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan told the media that the Kerala Police should register a case against the party organ and Govindan.

"What Govindan and 'Deshabhimani' have reported is not a joke and it will go down as a 'black day' in the history of Kerala politics. This is a hit below the belt and worse than what the cyber goons of the CPI(M) engage in tarnishing images of political adversaries.

"Another strange thing was how did Govindan know the contents of the 164 statements made by the victim and even more intriguing is that the Crime Branch Police has denied what Govindan has said. We will wait to see what the Police will do in this case," said Satheesan.