Kerala minister in row over alleged intervention in molestation case

Kerala Forest Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader AK Saseendran has been accused of intervening in a case of molestation filed against a leader of his party and exerting pressure to suppress it.

An alleged voice recording has been leaked where someone can be heard asking the complainant woman's father over the phone to settle the case in a fair manner.

The alleged intervention came in settling a sexual harassment complaint filed against an NCP leader in Kollam district of Kerala.

Talking to reporters on Tuesday, the minister refuted the allegations and said that he had called the father of the complainant without knowing that it was a harassment complaint.

"I had called him after knowing there was some issue in the party and was telling to NCP assembly constituency president to see the issue what it is. I didn't know that it was a woman's complaint," said Saseendran.

Meanwhile, Youth Congress protested in Kozhikode and burnt the effigy of the minister.

The opposition has also asked for the resignation of the minister. "The Forest Minister has committed a serious offence by trying to influence to settle woman harassment complaint. He has no moral grounds to continue in office," said opposition leader VD Satheesan.

BJP state president K Surendran also demanded the resignation of the minister. "He has breached the oath of office. The minister should step down," he said.

The minister had been earlier caught in a honey trap in his last term by a channel reporter.

( With inputs from ANI )