Thiruvananthapuram: The charge sheet has been filed in the sexual assault case against Perumbavoor MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly. The Thiruvananthapuram district Crime branch filed the charge sheet in the Neyyattinkara cour, charging Eldhose with rape and attempted murder. Apart from Eldhose, two of his friends have also been named as the accused.

According to the charge sheet, the MLA sexually assaulted the complainant multiple times. The first assault allegedly occurred on July 4, 2022, at a resort in Adimalathura. Following this, the charge sheet states that the woman was raped again at a house in Thrikkakara and another house in Kunnathunadu.

It is also alleged that Kunnappilly tried to murder the woman by pushing her in Kovalam, leading to a charge of attempted murder. The charge sheet states that the MLA had known the woman for five years.

A departmental inquiry has been initiated against the Circle Inspector (CI) of Kovalam for repeatedly ignoring the woman’s complaints and attempting to settle the case. The investigation began after the case was transferred from the Kovalam police to the district Crime Branch and the woman maintained her allegations of harassment in her statement.

A teacher from Petta had come forward with sexual assault allegations against MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly on September 28, 2022. As per the complaint given by the woman to the city police commissioner, the MLA, who was intoxicated, came to the victim’s house and assaulted her, then forced her into a car and assaulted her again on the way to Kovalam. 

The woman alleged that the Kovalam CI tried to settle the case. She also claimed that the MLA offered her Rs 30 lakhs to withdraw the complaint. A Facebook post of the MLA citing his innocence also turned controversial. Eldhose claimed that the woman went ahead with the complaint after he refused to pay the money that she demanded.