A trial court in Neyyattinkara on Tuesday acquitted former Perumbavoor MLA Eldose Kunnapillil and two others in the rape case registered against him. The acquittal came a day after the survivor turned hostile during the trial proceedings before the court. On Monday, the complainant had appeared before the court and stated that Kunnapillil had not sexually assaulted her. Following her change in statement, two witnesses in the case also turned hostile. Taking note of the developments during the trial, the Neyyattinkara court on Tuesday acquitted all three accused in the case.
Background of the Case
The case had triggered a major political controversy in September 2022 after an argument broke out between the then MLA and the woman at a public place in Kovalam. The woman later approached the police with allegations of sexual assault, leading to the registration of the case. According to the chargesheet filed by the district crime branch, the complainant, a native of Paravur in Ernakulam who was residing in Thiruvananthapuram, had alleged that Kunnapillil raped her three times at different locations.
Additional Allegations
The chargesheet had further alleged that when she threatened to reveal the assaults, she was forcibly taken to a hilltop in Kovalam and pushed in an attempt to kill her. Two friends of Kunnapillil were also named as accused in the case. However, during the trial, the survivor told the court that the former MLA had not assaulted her and that his friends had not threatened her, leading to the collapse of the prosecution case.
The acquittal marks the end of a legal battle that had significant political implications in Kerala. The court's decision was based on the testimony of the survivor and the lack of corroborating evidence from other witnesses. The case serves as a reminder of the complexities involved in sexual assault trials, where the victim's testimony plays a crucial role.
