Former Kerala minister urges HC to quash rape case

 Beleaguered former minister Jose Thettayil Thursday filed a petition in the Kerala High Court here demanding the quashing of a rape case against him.

A 30-year-old woman has alleged that the former minister and his son Adarsh repeatedly  exploited her sexually last year and claimed to have video proof of her claim. Visuals of the alleged acts were earlier telecast on TV channels.

Following her complaint, the police registered a case under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (rape) against the former minister and his son.

Thettayil is a legislator of the Janata Dal-S that is in the opposition.

In his petition, Thettayil said there was no rape involved and that a case must be made against the woman for circulating the visuals. He said he was being made a scapegoat in a political conspiracy.

Earlier this week, the legislator's wife Dasiy Thettayil came out in support of her husband, stating that the case was fabricated.

The 30-year-old complainant said Thettayil promised her that he would get his son married to her, but did not keep his word. She said she was resorting to the legal route as a way to teach the legislator a lesson.

"He says the visuals have been morphed. I have done no such thing. I have handed over the original tape. In fact, he has morphed some visuals. I had given him the laptop and a copy of it," the woman told media people here Thursday.

Thettayil, who represents the Angamaly constituency in Ernakulam district, has stayed away from the public glare since June 23, after the visuals of the alleged sexual exploitation were telecast on TV.