Witnesses and complainant turn hostile: Former Kerala MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly acquitted in rape case

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Neyyattinkara Sessions Court has acquitted former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Eldhose Kunnappilly and two others in connection with a high-profile sexual assault and attempted murder case.

The verdict came after the prosecution’s case fell apart when four key witnesses, including the complainant, turned hostile. During an in-camera hearing held on Monday, the complainant reportedly modified her stance, testifying before the court that Kunnappilly had not assaulted her.

The legal proceedings began following a detailed investigation by the Thiruvananthapuram District Crime Branch, which had submitted its formal charge sheet in May 2024. The investigative agency had levelled several severe charges against the former legislator, including rape and attempt to murder. According to the original police investigation, the initial assault allegedly took place at a resort in Adimalathura on July 4, 2022. The prosecution further claimed that subsequent assaults occurred at residential properties located in Thrikkakara and Kunnathunad, and the charge sheet also alleged that the politician attempted to kill the woman by pushing her during an altercation in Kovalam.

Alongside the former MLA, two of his associates who were named as co-accused in the crime branch's report have also been exonerated. The police had previously charged them with criminal intimidation, alleging they had threatened and pressured the victim to withdraw her initial complaint.

With the primary complainant and supporting witnesses retracting their statements before the judge, the court ruled that the prosecution lacked the evidence to sustain the charges, resulting in a full acquittal for all individuals involved.