THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress leader and former Perumbavoor MLA Eldose Kunnapillil was acquitted by the Neyyattinkara Fast Track Court-I in the rape case registered against him after key witnesses, including the survivor, turned hostile during trial.
Apart from Kunnapillil, the court also acquitted the second and third accused in the case — his friends Ranish and Sippy Noorudeen.
The verdict was delivered after the complainant told the court during Monday’s hearing that the former MLA had not sexually assaulted her.
Two witnesses, who had earlier claimed to have seen the survivor being forcibly taken into a car, also gave statements favourable to the accused in court. Following this, the case was considered on Tuesday only as part of procedural formalities. All three accused and the survivor appeared before the court on Tuesday.
According to the prosecution’s case, the survivor was allegedly forced into a car in front of the MLA Hostel and later from her house at Pettah, before being taken to a guest house at Kovalam where she was allegedly sexually assaulted. The complaint had also alleged that she was later taken to the MLA’s residence in Ernakulam and to a friend’s flat where she was raped again. She had further alleged that there was an attempt to kill her by pushing her down at Kovalam. The Crime Branch had investigated the case and filed the chargesheet.
Earlier, Kunnapillil had informed the High Court through his counsel that the relationship between the two was consensual. The survivor’s testimony during trial was in line with this claim, as she denied all allegations raised by the prosecution.
The survivor reportedly collapsed in court after the prosecution informed that she would be cross-examined. The case was heard by Fast Track Court-I Judge K M Suja. Special Public Prosecutor Poovachal F Vinod appeared for the prosecution.