2-member panel to probe sexual abuse case against CPI-M MLA

The ruling CPI-M in Kerala has constituted a two-member commission to probe the allegation of sexual abuse made by a woman leader against P Sasi, a party legislator.

Senior leader and state law and cultural affairs minister, A K Balan and party MP P K Sreemathy, will probe the charges levelled against Sasi by the woman leader of the Democratic Youth Federation of India, youth wing of CPI-M.

According to a party release Friday, the commission was set up on August 31 after the matter was discussed in the party secretariat.

Rejecting the Congress and BJP allegation that CPI-M had tried to hush up the issue, the release said the party had intervened immediately on getting the complaint against Sasi on August 14.

Party state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan heard the complainant's explanation and later, Sasi was summoned to the AKG centre here to hear his side of the allegation, the release said.

Sreemathy said the complainant's statement will be taken.

"The inquiry commission will complete its probe soon," she told reporters here.

The Chairperson of the National Commission for Women Rekha Sharma, said in Delhi that the NCW would send an inquiry team to Kerala to probe the case, if the state police chief does not apprise it about the action taken in the matter within 15 days.

Sharma said the commission also tried to reach out to the complainant but she did not come forward as she is being forced not to talk to them.

"The National Commission for Women would dispatch an inquiry team to Kerala to probe the case of alleged sexual harassment of a woman by a CPI(M) MLA if the DGP does not respond to the women body's direction within 15 days," Sharma said.

"If the party points out that I have erred, I will accept it with both hands.... If there is a complaint, the CPI-M has the strength to look into it," Sasi told reporters at Cheruplassery in Palakkad district