Kochi, May 24: With just a week left for the crucial bypoll to Kerala’s Thrikkakara Assembly constituency, the 2017 actress abduction case has taken a center stage pushing back the K-Rail issue which dominated the campaigning till now.
On Monday, the assault victim sought Kerala High Court’s intervention following speculations that the case might be swept under the carpet. She also accused the Pinarayi Vijayan government of helping the accused actor Dileep and his aides.
Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan alleged that some CPI-M leaders were playing games to bail out the guilty.
Accusing the CPI-M leaders of playing double game, Congress candidate Uma Thomas said their talks about concern for women’s safety was nothing but a “sham”.
“I remember P.T.Thomas (her husband and two time Congress legislator from Thrikkakara who passed away in December last year) telling me that in all likelihood this case will not reach anywhere and eventually swept under the carpet. I am sure every voter in my constituency is keenly following the sudden turn of events in this case and this will be in their minds,” said Uma.
As per the Congress, after the crime, when the victim reached actor, producer, director Lal’s house, Thomas also rushed there and consoled the actress. Police was called in leading to the arrest of the accused who harassed her in a moving car which went around the city. Later, Dileep, who is the eighth accused and now out on bail, was also arrested.
Recently, at her first public function after the incident, the survivor was a surprise ‘chief guest’ for the distribution of the Kerala State Film awards where Vijayan was also present.
The social media went ga-ga over the incident showering praises on the Vijayan government for bringing the victim to the forefront.
But now after her petition, while the Congress-led UDF is raking it up, the CPI-M top brass appears to have gone defensive.
Responding to it, E.P.Jayarajan, the Left convenor manning the by-election, slammed the Congress.
“The Congress-led UDF is known for raking up dirty allegations during election time. Everyone knows which political party is helping whom,” said Jayarajan, adding that no one has a doubt on the position of the Left towards women’s issues.
State Law Minister P.Rajeev, another livewire at the election campaign, tried to downplay the fears raised by the victim.
“I am yet to ascertain the facts as to why she did this. Moreover, with the case being sub judice, one cannot comment in detail,” said Rajeev.
In her petition, the survivor alleged that there was a massive political intervention when the Crime Branch team is set to submit its final report on May 30 for further investigation.
She expressed deep concern that though Dileep was arrested in 2017, but things now appear to have turned topsy-turvy. Since she has no other way of getting justice, she is approaching the High Court.
The woman suffered a jolt last month when the chief of the Crime Branch DGP S.Sreejith was moved out and replaced with a new officer. The move has been attributed to Vijayan’s new political advisor P. Sasi.
