"Take leave, let's go somewhere": Obscene remarks against CPM supporter employee; case filed against municipal chairman

KOLLAM: The police have registered a case against Karunagappally municipal chairman Kottayil Raju on the complaint that he constantly made sexually explicit remarks to a temporary employee who approached him in connection with raising funds for the treatment of her husband, who is a heart patient. Raju is a member of the CPM Karunagappally town local committee. According to the complaint, Kottayil Raju called the employee to the chairman's chamber several times since August 2023 and made obscene remarks.

The case was registered based on the complaint lodged by the employee to the city police commissioner six days ago. Sections 74, 78 and 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita and the Scheduled Castes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have been invoked. Though the case is under non-bailable sections, arrests will be made only after a detailed investigation. The CPM Karunagappally area committee meeting will be convened to discuss the issue.

The employee, who is a CPM supporter, had lodged a complaint with the party's Karunagappally town local committee two weeks ago, but the complaint was rejected saying there was no substance in it. A complaint has also been lodged with the CPM state secretary. Meanwhile, the Karunagappally police have registered a case against a temporary employee on a complaint filed earlier by an official of the municipality alleging that the visuals of her dancing were captured and circulated without permission.

Temporary employee's complaint

A committee headed by the municipal chairman was formed to find money for my husband's treatment. When I went to the chamber to give a notice of this, the chairman said, "I will help, I will give you money, but you have to do as I say. Take leave, let's go somewhere," the chairman said. When I refused to give in, he imposed on me an excessive workload with such hostility that I had to constantly climb the floors of the municipality office.

"The complaint is factually incorrect. There are other people behind the complaint. I'll open up when the time is right"

-Kottayil Raju,

Municipal Chairman