Thiruvanathapuram: In a major setback for actor-turned-politician M Mukesh, CPI state leadership called for his resignation as MLA. Manorama News reported that CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam visited Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and raised the demand. As CPI is a major ally of the LDF, the government landed in a tough spot. CPM state secretariat will take a decision on his resignation in its meeting on Friday.
Binoy Viswam met Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday, as per the party executive's decision. The CPI leader said that his party wants Mukesh to stand aside from politics as a moral obligation in light of the rape case against him.
On Thursday, CPM threw its weight on Mukesh and ignored CPI national leadership's calls for his resignation as the state committee kept mum. Though the MLA reportedly moved to a hideout, he contacted the Chief Minister and gave an explanation over the allegations against him on Thursday. Claiming innocence, he said that the complainant blackmailed him for money. He added that he would submit evidence, including WhatsApp chat, to prove the conspiracy of the complainant woman.
At the same time, Mukesh obtained relief from a court in Kochi, which granted him protection from arrest until September 3.
An FIR under IPC 376 (rape) was registered against Mukesh at Maradu police station in Kochi city on Wednesday night, a police officer said. Charges under IPC 354 354 ( outraging modesty of women), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 454 (trespassing) are also slapped against him.
The case was registered under the IPC as the offence allegedly occurred before the new Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) came to force. This is the third FIR against a high-profile Malayalam film personality following allegations of sexual harassment against various directors and actors in the wake of revelations in the Justice K Hema Committee report.
