Kerala HC stays trial in sex scandal, says MLA in clear

Kerala High Court on Tuesday stayed all proceedings against former minister Jose Thettayil (JD MLA) in a sexual assault case filed by a 30-year-old woman.

Kerala High Court on Tuesday stayed all proceedings against former minister Jose Thettayil (JD MLA) in a sexual assault case filed by a 30-year-old woman.

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The police had registered a case against Thettayil and his son Abhilash on June 22 based on the complaint of the woman that she had been sexually harassed by them on several occasions. She had also leaked videos clippings of the alleged sexual scenes, which later went viral on social sites.

Hearing Thettayil’s plea to quash the FIR, Justice Bhavadasan observed that prima facie no offence was disclosed in the complaint against Thettayil. The court has also issued notices to the complainant and said she would be heard on Thursday. Soon after the HC stayed the case, Thettayil emerged from his hideout.

Thettayil, who was the transport minister in the previous LDF government, had contended that he has not committed any offence punishable under IPC Section 376 (rape) and allegations of the woman were absolutely false.

In the complaint, the victim said she was close to his son but she later fell out with him. She claimed that the MLA had assaulted her promising a patch-up with his son.

Thettayil said if all the allegations were true, it would disclose only consensual relationship on the initiative of the woman intended to trap the accused persons and to blackmail them in future.