Court rejects anticipatory bail plea of Congress councillor Prashobh C Valsan in sexual assault case

Palakkad: Anticipatory bail plea of Congress municipal councillor Prashobh C Valsan, accused in a sexual assault case, was rejected by a special court in Mannarkkad. The SC/ST special court dismissed the plea after the survivor appeared before it and recorded her statement.According to a complaint submitted to chief minister, the accused allegedly befriended the woman by offering her a job and later trespassed into her residence and sexually assaulted her. Palakkad Town South police filed a case following directions from the district police chief. The accused has been absconding since then. Even as police intensified efforts to trace him, Valsan approached the Mannarkkad court through a lawyer seeking anticipatory bail, claiming innocence and expressing willingness to cooperate with the investigation. Meanwhile, BJP criticised the police for failing to arrest the accused. BJP Palakkad East district president Prashanth Sivan alleged that the accused had the backing of an influential public representative in the district. The issue had triggered a major controversy during the assembly election period, with BJP staging protests alleging that Congress and the police were shielding the accused. District Congress Committee March 28 had expelled Valsan from the party. He is known as a close associate of Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil. Valsan represents the Kunnathurmedu division in the municipality.