Activist Abha Singh smells conspiracy in rape charges against M. Vincent

Women rights activist Abha Singh on Sunday asserted that proper investigation must be done over the rape charges imposed against Kerala Congress MLA M. Vincent to avoid misuse of rape laws.

Singh told ANI, "It is little difficult to believe that a 51-year-old woman has allegedly been raped by Kerala MLA for over a period of one and a half year as rape cannot continue for years."

"Maybe it was a consensual sexual relation which did not prove into a marriage or there were some other considerations which were not fulfilled by Vincent and that's why, this woman has come forward and registered a case of rape under 376 of the IPC," She added.

She further claimed that police needed to investigate the case, when Vincent said it was politically motivated, or otherwise, of late it is seen that lot of rape laws were misused, especially in the cases where there is a sexual relationship and the men refused to marry and that is why the rape charges are put.

"I think time has come to amend the CrPC and consensual relationship should not be treated as rape," Abha said.

Vincent was arrested by the Kerala Police on Saturday over charges of sexual harassment and stalking of a 51-year-old woman who attempted suicide earlier this week.

A complaint was lodged by the woman's husband with the local police station near Thiruvananthapuram, alleging that the legislator had threat and harassed his wife over phone

Senior women leaders in the Congress party M. Bindu Krishna and Shanimol Usman too have asked the MLA to step down as legislator and face the probe.