Thiruvananthapuram: A probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has exonerated senior Congress leader K C Venugopal in the case of allegedly sexually harassing the main accused in the solar scam. The CBI, on Friday, submitted a report in this regard before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Thiruvananthapuram.
According to the agency, the allegations raised by the complainant against Venugopal – who is presently general secretary of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) – were false.
The complainant had alleged that Venugopal had sexually harassed her three times while he was a minister. She said that the incidents took place at Venugopal’s official residence Rose House; the official residence of another minister A P Anil Kumar and at Kerala House, a government guest house.
However, the CBI said in its report to the court that no evidence could be found to support these charges. The alleged victim had also claimed that a witness had video-graphed Venugopal raping her. This statement also turned out to be untrue, said the report.
Along with the report, the CBI presented before the court two sarees reportedly worn by the complainant while she was raped. The CBI also told the court that the alleged victim had claimed to possess more proof. But she had not produced it despite repeated reminders, added CBI. The agency said even though its officers had visited Delhi and other places for collecting evidence, nothing concrete was recovered.
Reacting to the CBI report, Venugopal – who is in New Delhi accompanying the Bharat Jodo Yatra – said that truth has prevailed. “The media should introspect over its role in the solar case,” he added. Venugopal also accused the Central and state governments of indulging in vendetta politics.
With CBI’s clean chit for Venugopal, the number of top political leaders who have received a reprieve in the sensational case has increased to four. Earlier, the agency had found no evidence against Members of Parliament Hibi Eden and Adoor Prakash and former minister A P Anil Kumar.
Two more leaders are now facing an investigation by the CBI in the case. They are former chief minister Oommen Chandy and national secretary of the BJP A P Abdullakutty.
