KOCHI: At a time when Kochi is set to host the state conference of the CPM on March 1 to 4, allegations, including criminal backgrounds and money lending activities of leaders from Ernakulam district, are giving a headache for the party’s local leadership. A meeting of CPM Ernakulam district committee will be held on Tuesday to discuss such complaints and take action.
The most serious complaint is that a woman, whose family members are CPM sympathisers, was attacked by an Ernakulam area committee member in a heinous manner. There have been several complaints against this leader who is allegedly engaged in money lending and real estate business.
As per a complaint the woman lodged before the Kerala High Court in 2018, three identifiable persons barged into her house around 8.30pm on October 24, 2017 and attacked her when she was alone at home. “They also poured molten candle wax on her naval and private parts,” referring to her allegations, high court judgement issued on July 8, 2018 states. Approving her prayer that the case should be probed by the crime branch as local police are delaying the investigation, the high court had ordered the crime branch to investigate the case. There has been no headway in the investigation so far.
It was in this backdrop that the woman had lodged a complained with the Ernakulam district committee. As per sources within the party, she named the Ernakulam area committee member as the prime accused in the case. “He has been engaged in the real estate and money lending business for years. The woman had borrowed money from the area committee member’s wife. As she failed to pay back the amount, the leader attacked her,” sources said.
As per the complaint she lodged with the police, three identifiable persons barged into her house. Her husband and son were not at home at that time. “They tore open her dress, applied plaster on her mouth, spread chemicals on her eyes and hit on various parts of her body with helmet,” the high court refers to her complaint while pronouncing the judgement.
Another issue which the district committee may discuss is the involvement of an SFI leader in the attack on a party member at Alangad near north Paravoor. A few days ago, goons had stormed into the house of a party member and attacked him and his brother. It was the SFI leader who allegedly sent the location of the victim’s house through the mobile phone.
