Kerala: Anticipatory Bail Sought by Five CPI-M Members in Abduction Case of Woman Councillor

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Five CPI-M members seek bail in councillor abduction case.
- Kala Raju alleges abduction by party members.
- Political motivations claimed by the accused members.
- UDF opposition intensifies amid allegations.
- Left Democratic Front maintains majority in council.
Kochi, Jan 23 (NationPress) Five members of the CPI-M have approached the Ernakulam sessions court to request anticipatory bail concerning the abduction case involving woman councillor, Kala Raju, from the Koothattukulam municipality.
The alleged abduction incident took place when Raju publicly voiced her discontent with her party, hinting at her intention to vote against CPI-M directives in a municipal election on January 18.
She was allegedly attacked and forcibly taken by her own party members while trying to engage in the voting process.
Raju provided her statement before the magistrate on Wednesday.
The local police have also apprehended four CPI-M members linked to this case; however, the Congress-led UDF and Raju have asserted that those arrested are not the actual offenders.
Following a commotion in the ongoing Assembly session, compounded by reports that the arrested individuals were not the genuine culprits, the police charged several others alongside the five CPI-M members seeking anticipatory bail.
All five CPI-M members refute the accusations, labeling the case as politically driven and an effort to undermine their integrity.
In their bail application, they claimed that Kala Raju has been swayed by UDF affiliates, stating that the current complaint, lodged by her children, is merely a tactic to defame CPI-M members.
"The mother of the complainant is influenced by UDF party workers and councillors. The current crime report is in response to a deliberate attempt to slander and corner CPI-M party members," their petition remarked.
The Left Democratic Front (LDF), of which CPI-M is a part, currently occupies 13 seats in the municipal council, holding the majority in the 25-member body.
The LDF faces opposition from 11 UDF members and one independent member.
The UDF had intended to introduce a no-confidence motion against the municipal chairperson, Vijaya Sivan from CPI-M on January 18, which was disrupted by a significant uproar that resulted in Raju being attacked, including her clothing being torn and her being forcefully taken away in a vehicle.
Based on her children’s testimony, a criminal complaint was filed accusing 50 individuals from CPI-M of involvement in the alleged crime. Nevertheless, the four previously arrested received a hero's welcome from local CPI-M supporters upon their release on Thursday.