Published May 25, 2026 | 10:51 PM ⚊ Updated May 25, 2026 | 10:51 PM
Eldhose Kunnappilly
Synopsis: The survivor, a schoolteacher, and three witnesses recanted in the Neyyattinkara Sessions Court. The woman said Eldhose Kunnappilly had not raped or attempted to murder her. She also changed her earlier statements against the former MLA’s two associates.
In a dramatic twist to the sexual assault case against former Perumbavoor MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly, the survivor recanted on Monday, 25 May, saying he had not harassed her in any manner.
Besides the survivor, three witnesses, too, changed their statements in favour of the former Congress MLA in the Neyyattinkara Additional Sessions Court.
The survivor, a schoolteacher, also changed her earlier statement that Kunnappilly’s two associates had threatened her.
Also Read: Police slap non-bailable charges on Eldhose Kunnappilly
The chargesheet submitted by the Thiruvananthapuram District Crime Branch before the court in May 2024 accused Kunnappilly of repeatedly assaulting the complainant.
Serious charges, including rape and attempted murder, were included in the case. Kunnappilly’s associates were arraigned as accused, saying they had intimidated the complainant and pressured her to withdraw the complaint.
According to the initial complaint, the woman alleged that she was first sexually assaulted at a resort at Adimalathura in Thiruvananthapuram on 4 July 2022.
The chargesheet further stated that the alleged assaults later took place at the Congress leader’s residences at Thrikkakara and Kunnathunadu in Ernakulam. Investigators also alleged that he attempted to murder the complainant by pushing her into the sea from a cliff in Kovalam.
The case was registered in 2022 after the schoolteacher accused Kunnappilly of sexually assaulting her during a trip to Kovalam and abusing her at multiple locations between July and September that year.
She had also alleged that an offer of ₹30 lakh was made to her in an attempt to settle and withdraw the complaint.
Also Read: Crime Branch files chargesheet against Eldhose Kunnappilly
Kunnappilly was once considered one of the young faces of the Congress in Kerala. He has been maintaining that the case against him was politically motivated.
However, in the 2026 Assembly elections, the Congress denied him a ticket despite him being a sitting MLA, fearing public backlash and a possible loss of the seat. The seat was instead allotted to Manoj Moothedan, who retained it for the party.
During the seat allocation discussions, only three sitting Congress MLAs were denied tickets.
Among them, former minister and veteran leader K Babu withdrew from public life, citing health issues. The AICC directly refused to field the two others — Rahul Mamkootathil and Eldhose, considering the cases against them and concerns over losing sitting seats.
Mamkootathil, who won Palakkad in a byelection, is facing multiple charges of sexual assault.
When contacted, Kunnappilly refused to comment, saying he would soon hold a news conference.
Kunnappilly was granted anticipatory bail in October 2022, which was later upheld by the Kerala High Court. Following the controversy, the KPCC had suspended him from party posts.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
