T’PURAM: Police, on Monday, registered a sexual harassment case against KPCC chief Mullappally Ramachandran for his misogynist comments on a woman, who earlier accused a few political leaders of raping her.
Based on her complaint against Ramachandran, an FIR was registered at the women’s police station. She had filed her complaint before the state police chief, whose office forwarded it to the station after which FIR was registered by evening.
Police invoked IPC Sections 354A(iv) and 509. Section 354A (iv) pertains to sexual harassment by making sexually coloured remarks while Section 509 pertains to use of word, gesture or act intended on insulting modesty of woman.
Both offences, if found guilty, can lead to a maximum punishment of one year imprisonment.
The station house officer said further course of action would be decided after recording a detailed statement of the complainant.
Ramachandran had made the controversial speech while addressing a protest by UDF on Sunday against government corruption. He used the occasion to address the resurfacing of a key accused in the solar scam of 2013 that had rocked the previous UDF government.
The accused in that case had levelled allegations of sexual abuse against Congress leaders, including former chief minister Oommen Chandy.
Ramachandran termed it as a part of ‘blackmail politics’. He added that no one would believe a woman who publicly said that she was raped multiple times. A woman with self-respect would either die or make sure that she wouldn’t be raped again.
He had also used the word ‘prostitute’ to address the complainant in his speech.