Congress MLA A P Abdullakutty, booked in a rape case on a complaint from a woman accused in solar scam, was today gheraoed by activists of DYFI, youth wing of CPI-M, here demanding his arrest, prompting police to use force to disperse them.
During the commotion, the Kannur MLA fell down and was removed from the scene with police escort. Police said they made a 'mild' cane-charge to disperse the protesters.
The activists barged into the hotel at Payyambalam here where Abdullakutty was staying and tried to manhandle him.
Abdullakutty, a former CPIM MLA, said he was pushed down by protesters and 'I am mentally and physically exhausted'.
CPI-M Kannur District Secretary P Jayarajan demanded his arrest and resignation from the assembly. "The Government is protecting a rape accused", he alleged.
A case under IPC sections 376 (rape), 354 (a) (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe her) was registered by police against Abdullakutty based on written complaint by the solar scam accused.
The woman, out on bail in the solar scam cases, had on March 3 made the allegations in the media, but Abdullkutty had then refuted her charges, saying they were "totally unfounded."
She is a prime accused in the solar scam rocking the Congress-led UDF Government for over a year.
Abdullakutty was with CPI-M and was elected twice on the party ticket to Parliament before joining Congress.
After spending about nine months in prison in as many 33 solar scam related cases, the woman accused had obtained bail in all the cases about three weeks ago.
The solar case pertains to cheating many people of huge amounts of money by the accused offering them solutions for setting up solar plants.
