Thiruvanathapuram/ Kannur: Congress leaders cutting across group affiliations have mixed feelings about Kannur MLA A. P. Abdullakutty, who is facing allegations of sexual harassment by solar scam accused Saritha S. Nair. Mr Abdullakutty, who had ‘disappeared’ from Kannur for the last few days, appeared before a television channel on Wednesday evening and said that he should not be targeted even if he is an accused. KPCC chief V.M. Sudheeran told reporters in Kannur that he had not received any complaints against him from the Kannur DCC.
In the television interview, an emotionally charged Abdullakutty said that he had deliberately shifted to Mangalore due to the mental trauma. Though his house remained closed, his office has been functioning here. He has already got admission for his children in a school in Mangalore and his doctor wife also has received a job there. He told DC that he was away for a few days as he was busy with shifting of the family. “I want to keep my children off these dirty discussions,” he said.
A senior Congress leader told DC that Saritha tried to extort money from Abdullakutty and when he didn’t oblige, she decided to give her statement before the court after failing to appear several times. Since Mr Abdullakutty was attacked by DYFI workers in Kannur some months ago, he had been keeping a low profile. From the time he had crossed over from the CPM, it was Mr K. Sudhakaran who had brought him to the forefront of Kannur politics and given him a seat in the Assembly election. But ironically, it was Mr Sudhakaran himself who had asked Mr Abdullakutty to keep away from active campaigning in Kannur this time. Congress spokesperson Pandalam Sudhakaran told DC that Mr Abdullakutty has not been active in politics for the last few months.
Cops lack evidence in Saritha case
Even as solar scam accused Saritha S. Nair has stuck to her rape charges against Congress MLA A.P. Abdullakutty, the police team probing the case has not yet received any supporting evidence. The city police on Wednesday filed an application at the judicial first class magistrate court-II seeking a copy of the statement filed by Saritha under CrPC 164 on Tuesday.
The police have already taken the statements of many staff at the Mascot Hotel here. So far none could recollect Saritha’s presence in the hotel with Abdullakutty. Efforts to verify Abdullakutty’s presence in Mascot Hotel using his mobile phone location also proved futile as it is the same mobile tower of BSNL that covers both Mascot Hotel and MLA quarters areas. A police team led by city crime detachment assistant commissioner K.E. Baiju is probing the case under the supervision of deputy commissioner of police Ms. Ajeetha Begum.
