NEW DELHI: A woman has filed a complaint of sexual assault against Prashob C. Valsan, a Congress councillor from the 24th division of Palakkad Municipality. The complaint has been lodged with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Palakkad District Police Chief.
The complainant, who belongs to a Scheduled Tribe community, alleged in her complaint that Prashob came to her house and raped her after promising her a job. She further alleged that she was also sexually assaulted in a car near the district government hospital and at a hotel.
According to the complaint, when she informed him that she was pregnant, Prashob allegedly asked her to take pills to terminate the pregnancy.
The woman also alleged that the accused is an influential person with close links to MLAs and MPs, and expressed apprehension about her safety.
Police said a preliminary probe has been initiated based on the complaint and that a case will be registered. Prashob is absconding after the complaint surfaced, and his mobile phone is switched off, police said.
BJP leader Sobha Surendran, who is seeking a mandate in the Palakkad constituency, said that the sexual harassment charges against councillor Prashob prove that there are many such cases within the Palakkad Congress.
CPM Palakkad district secretary E.N. Suresh Babu said that the sexual harassment complaint against the Congress ward councillor is “frightening” and alleged that the party has become a “school of immoral practices.”
“How can people trust such a Congress? Kerala has an exemplary political culture, and such people are destroying it,” he said.
It has been reported that Prashob is very close to Rahul Mamkootathil, who was expelled from the Congress after sexual harassment charges were levelled against him by several women.
After a complaint was filed against Rahul and he went into hiding, he reportedly came to Palakkad to vote for Prashob in the municipal elections. After Prashob won, he reportedly met Rahul soon after.
The complaint comes at a time when the Congress is already facing criticism from the CPM and BJP over multiple sexual assault cases registered against Rahul Mamkootathil, which have been raised during the Assembly poll campaign. - The Statesman/ANN
