Congress leader held with woman gets bail, says was trapped (Second Lead)

MANJERI - Rajmohan Unnithan, a senior Congress leader in Kerala, was Monday given bail, a day after he was held allegedly for immoral trafficking. The leader, however, insists he was trapped with a woman by ruling party activists and their allies.

Unnithan and the woman, who is said to be a Congress Seva Dal worker, were first confronted by locals Sunday night at a house here in Malappuram district. The woman hails from Kollam, Unnithan’s hometown.

Police later took them into custody and subjected them to medical tests. After being kept in the police station for the night, both were taken before the Manjeri first class judicial magistrate, who granted them bail, officials said.

Unnithan is the general secretary of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee. The party has suspended him and initiated an inquiry into the incident.

After the bail, Unnithan told reporters he was trapped by activists of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).

“I was on my way to Bangalore and en route went to drop the lady who is an active Seva Dal worker. When i reached the home, a lot of PDP and DYFI workers collected around the house and started creating trouble. I only called the police. But they were demanding that TV channels be called,” Unnithan said.

“I have done no wrong and I believe in God. I will request my party to launch an inquiry into the episode. I am clean and have done no wrong,” added Unnithan.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Abdul Kareem told IANS that the two were charged with immoral trafficking.

“They were picked up last night (Sunday night) from a house. Today (Monday) the court has given them bail,” said Kareem.

As word spread that a senior Congress leader had been caught, members of the CPI-M youth wing began shouting slogans in front of the police station, demanding that immediate action be taken against Unnithan.