Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 3 (IANS) For the second consecutive day, the entire Left opposition walked out of the Kerala assembly here Monday, accusing the Oommen Chandy government of not being able to make any arrests in the attack on a school teacher whose rectum was pierced with an iron rod six days ago.
Seeking leave for an adjournment motion, senior CPI-M legislator P.K. Gurudasan accused the government of trying to shield the deeds of jailed former minister and top United Democratic Front leader R. Balakrishna Pillai.
‘Pillai, who is now spending his time in a plush hospital, made 40 calls from his mobile on Sep 27, the day the school teacher, Krishna Kumar, was brutally assaulted. What have you done on this act of Pillai, who is forbidden to use a mobile phone as he is in jail?’ asked Gurudasan.
Chandy said the ‘biggest impediment’ to the probe was the ‘contradictory statement’ given by Kumar.
‘Investigation is on to find out the use of mobile by Pillai. The officer appointed earlier to probe this requested to be removed from the probe after insinuations from Leader of Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan. A new officer has been appointed and his report is awaited,’ said Chandy.
‘Please note that it was during your government’s times in 2010 that through amending the Prison Act you provided telephone facility in jails. In that law, there is a provision that if anyone makes a call without permission, action would be taken. If the report says that Pillai has done a wrong, action would be taken against him,’ said Chandy.
Chandy pointed out that the law also states that action would be taken against those who make calls to jail inmates.
‘Hence the journalist who made the call to Pillai, which was shown on TV, will also attract prosecution proceedings,’ said Chandy.
The gruesome incident took place Tuesday night when Kumar was found in a badly injured state near Kottarakara, some 70 km from here. Highway police first took him to a local hospital and he was later moved to the Medical College Hospital here as his condition was serious.
Both Kumar and his wife K.R. Geetha work in the school that is managed and run by Pillai, and for long the teacher couple had a running feud with Pillai.
