Chennithala refuses to share stage with rape case accused; DCC general secretary dropped from event

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: DCC general secretary Jose Franklin, accused in a criminal case, was dropped from a programme after Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, refused to share the stage with him. Jose Franklin was removed from the ‘Ujjwalam’ programme organised by Neyyattinkara MLA N Sakthan. The event was organised in Neyyattinkara yesterday. Jose Franklin is an accused in a sexual assault case. Chennithala said that he would not attend the programme if Franklin is not kept away from the event.

Jose Franklin had been booked on charges of sexual assault after a woman bakery owner in Neyyattinkara committed suicide after pouring kerosene on her body and setting herself on fire. Her suicide note mentioned that she took the drastic step after being upset over the incident.

He exploited her after luring her with a subsidised loan to run her bakery. She was also harassed repeatedly through phone calls and other means. She had mentioned these things in the suicide note addressed to her children.

The Neyyattinkara police named Congress leader Jose Franklin as an accused after examining the woman’s phone records as well. Charges of abetment of suicide and sexual assault were registered against Jose Franklin.