Kerala HC dismisses govt plea seeking cancellation of bail granted to rape accused MLA
Kochi (PTI): The Kerala High Court on Friday dismissed a plea filed by the state government seeking to cancel the anticipatory bail granted to Congress MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly facing charge of rape and attempt to murder.
The state government and the alleged victim in the case had filed separate petitions in the high court for cancellation of the conditional bail granted to Kunnappilly, arguing that his custodial interrogation was necessary to find out the truth in the case.
Besides rape and attempt to murder, the Congress MLA has also been charged with assault following a complaint from the alleged victim who stated he had abducted and manhandled her.
A sessions court in Ernakulam had granted anticipatory bail to Kunnappilly in the cases registered against him in October this year.
The case was filed against three accused, including the MLA's personal assistant and a friend. The victim claimed that Kunnappilly offered her Rs 30 lakh to settle the case registered against him.
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Child rape-murder: Hundreds protest on Mumbai-Bengaluru highway in Pune; traffic hit
Pune (PTI): Hundreds of people blocked the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway in Pune to protest the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl, leading to traffic disruption on the busy route for about four hours.
The girl's family members and other demonstrators placed the body on the road in the Navale Bridge area on Saturday evening and demanded stringent punishment for the 65-year-old man arrested in the case.
Several videos surfaced showing a huge traffic jam on the highway.
Later, the victim's last rites were performed at the Vaikunt crematorium here shortly after midnight amid tight police security.
The accused man, who works as a labourer and has a criminal record, allegedly lured the girl with the promise of food on Friday in the Bhor tehsil of Pune district. He then took her to a cattle enclosure where he allegedly sexually assaulted her and later killed her by hitting her with a stone, according to the police.
He was arrested based on CCTV footage from a private residence, which captured him with the child.
A case was registered against him under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and he has been remanded in police custody till May 7.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar on Saturday met the family of the victim, assuring them of strict action against the accused and a fast-track trial.
Describing the incident as "shocking" and a "blot on humanity", Pawar said the government stands firmly with the victim's family and will ensure justice.
She also spoke to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and sought a fast-track court trial so that the accused receives the harshest punishment.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde directed Pune rural police to gather concrete evidence to build a watertight case and conduct the trial in a fast-track court.
Efforts should be made to ensure the accused gets the death penalty, a statement quoted Shinde as saying.
