Kerala Police Exonerates Congress MLA from Election Finance Allegations
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Palakkad, Dec 2 (NationPress) In a significant relief for the primary opposition Congress, the Kerala Police on Monday exonerated Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil from allegations of financial irregularities related to elections in the Palakkad Assembly constituency.
Palakkad SP R. Anand stated that he has received the investigation report and has found no evidence supporting the claims made by CPI-M leaders.
“Following a comprehensive investigation, we discovered no evidence, and thus we are closing the case,” Anand remarked.
Mamkootathil expressed that the allegations were part of a scheme devised to tarnish his reputation by a faction led by State Minister for Local Self Government M. B. Rajesh and his brother-in-law.
“I had informed you (the media) earlier that this was a conspiracy, and I feel quite sorry for the CPI-M for engaging in this underhanded tactic to portray me negatively,” the MLA stated.
He further mentioned that the citizens of Palakkad showed him substantial support during the bypolls.
“I truly wished that the section of the media that emphasized this news had investigated the actual truth. We will not let this matter rest and will pursue our case which aims to clear my name,” stated Mamkootathil.
Rahul Mamkootathil secured victory by over 18,000 votes, defeating the BJP candidate in the Palakkad Assembly constituency. Mamkootathil is set to be sworn in as a legislator on Wednesday.
On November 6, during the recently conducted Assembly bypolls in Palakkad, there was considerable uproar when police officials entered the room of former Congress legislator Shanimol Usman and her junior colleague Bindhu Krishnan, where they were lodging during the campaign.
The police conducted a search of their room but found nothing suspicious, prompting Congress leaders to file a complaint with the Election Commission of India.
However, some media outlets aligned with CPI (M) alleged that Congress Palakkad candidate Rahul Mamkootathil was present in the room with a blue trolley bag purportedly containing large sums of money intended for election purposes.
Kerala Leader of the Opposition (LoP) V.D. Satheesan stated that the ‘truth has emerged’.
“How will you justify the police's indiscriminate action of entering the room of two of our female leaders? M.B. Rajesh and his brother-in-law owe an apology for this reckless act. The CPI-M should also apologize,” Satheesan remarked.
In contrast, V.K. Sanoj, the state secretary of the DYFI - Youth wing of the CPI-M, defended the police's actions, asserting that just because money was not recovered does not imply it was absent.
