Former Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader Jose Thettayil MLA is in the eye of the storm after the Aluva police on Sunday registered a case of sexual harassment against him and his son Adarsh.
The case was registered against the Angamaly MLA and his son, under Section 376 (rape) of the IPC, in the wake of a complaint filed by a 30-year-old woman from Manjapra in Angamaly. In the complaint filed before the Aluva Rural SP, the woman stated that she was sexually abused by the father-son duo in 2012, on the false promise that Adarsh would marry her.
However, Thettayil categorically denied the allegations.
Thettayil said he would take legal action against the woman, while admitting that he had known her for quite some time. He claimed that the video clippings aired by a TV channel in connection with the allegations were morphed to trap him.
Thettayil also expressed his willingness to resign if the LDF wants him to do so. Police officials ruled out his immediate arrest as the Speaker’s permission is necessary to arrest a legislator.
The complainant said she was sexually harassed by Adarsh in August 2012 and by his father in October 2012 at her apartment in Aluva.
She said the CD containing the visuals against Thettayil and his son would be produced as evidence.
The woman stated that she was introduced to Thettayil during the inauguration of her father’s commercial establishment. Later, she was in constant touch with the MLA. Thettayil had once told her that he wanted his son Adarsh (who was then pursuing MBA in Ireland) to marry her. In 2012, on Thettayil’s insistence the woman had met Adarsh at his business establishment ‘Anns India Exim Pvt Ltd’ at Cheriyavappalassery.
After that Thettayil and his son used to visit her at her apartment in Aluva where she had sexual relation with Thettayil’s son a couple of times. Later, Adarsh went to Mumbai. Meanwhile, she came to know that there were marriage proposals for Adarsh. Following this, Thettayil started visiting her to discuss these issues and, according to the complainant, she was twice sexually abused by him at her flat.
The police recorded the statement of the complainant.