THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The third attempt by the state police to jail former Poonjar MLA P C George — the bete noire of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan — in two months fell flat on Saturday night as a court here granted him bail in a sexual harassment case registered by the Museum police in the afternoon.
The Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-III found the arguments of George, who was taken into custody within two hours of receiving the complaint, credible and expressed doubts about the veracity of the plaint filed by the woman who is the prime accused in the solar scam. The police had slapped IPC Sections 354 and 354 (a) that dealt with using criminal force against woman with intent to outrage her modesty.
At 12.40pm, the complainant told the Museum SI that she was molested by George on February 10 this year, when she visited him at the Government Guest House, Thycaud, as per his invitation. She said she had gone there with her son but George ensured that the minor son waited outside while both of them were in the room.
The police registered an FIR at 1.29pm after verifying the veracity of the complaint in lightning speed. In the next hour, the police took the custody of the 71-year-old leader, who was present before another team of the state police in connection with the probe into a conspiracy case.
George’s arrest was recorded at 3.50pm by Museum SI Dharmajith P S, who claimed in the remand report that the arrest followed the confession of George about the crime, an argument that contradicted the former MLA’s statement before the media while being taken to AR Camp, Nandavanam. “I haven’t done anything wrong. I have been a public worker all through my life and I am sure no woman would level a harassment allegation against me,” said George.
Alleges vendetta by chief minister
“This is vendetta by CM Pinarayi Vijayan and the complainant who had earlier sought help from me,” George told reporters. He alleged that the complainant had requested him to give a witness statement to CBI in the sexual harassment case filed by her against former CM Oommen Chandy, but, he refused. “This is her revenge for that,” George said. On Saturday morning, George appeared before the special investigation team probing the conspiracy behind the recent revelations by gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh against the CM and his daughter Veena Vijayan as per a notice issued by it.
The team led by Crime Branch SP Madhusoodanan was interrogating George at the Government Guest House, Thycaud, when a police team led by Museum SI reached there and intimated its desire to take him into custody. Following the arrest, the complainant woman told media that she had submitted all evidence, including telephone call records between her and George and a voice recording of what happened in the Guest House room on February 10 to the police. However, the remand report filed by the police was mum on any such evidence and only quoted the sleazy statement given by the woman.