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Business News/ Politics / News/  Local Congress leader booked under POCSO Act in Kerala
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Local Congress leader booked under POCSO Act in Kerala

The Congress suspended OM George pending investigation
  • George was a member of Wayanad district Congress committee and a former panchayat president
  • O.M. GeorgePremium
    O.M. George

    Ernakulam: Congress leader in Kerala, O.M. George, was on Wednesday booked under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act in Wayanad for raping a 17-year old tribal girl for nearly two years. She was working as his domestic help. The party immediately suspended George pending investigation, but a local leader’s fall from grace might be a blow for Congress in Wayanad in the general election.

    George was a member of Wayanad district Congress committee and a former panchayat president. The incident came to light when the girl, who was working as a domestic help at George’s house, unsuccessfully tried to commit suicide last week. Her parents moved a complaint with the police but were allegedly not taken seriously, after which they approached the regional news channels.

    “Initially, my daughter was not willing to tell us why she tried to commit suicide. Then we asked her peacefully and she told us what happened," the father of the complainant told 'Manorama News' over the phone, in Malayalam, requesting his name to be withheld. “He(George) approached me with an offer promising money when I made the complaint. But my wife told me not to take the money. She said no other daughter should face the fate of our daughter," he added.

    The local police confirmed the complaint and said George went into hiding.

    The news comes a day after Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Kerala to boost the morale of workers. The party president in Kerala, Mullappally Ramachandran, said he had already ordered a probe report from the district unit. “If further actions need to be done, it will be done."

    The development might be politically significant in the upcoming general election. Congress MP from Wayanad M.A. Shanavas died in November. The Congress is expecting a tough fight for the seat from the second-biggest party in the ruling Leftist alliance, Communist Party of India (CPI), who lost the last election in 2014 for about 20,000 votes. Left outfit Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) said it will stage a protest in Wayanad, to take action against other local Congress leaders who allegedly tried to protect George, on Wednesday evening.

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    Published: 30 Jan 2019, 01:13 PM IST
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