Congress leader gets bail in immoral trafficking case

MANJERI - A general secretary of the Congress party in Kerala, Rajmohan Unnithan, was granted bail Monday, a day after he was held on charges of immoral trafficking for being found in the company of a woman under suspicious circumstances.

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

Police later took them into custody and they were subjected to medical tests. After being kept in the police station for the night, both were produced before the Manjeri First Class Judicial Magistrate, who granted them bail, officials said.

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

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

Unnithan is general secretary of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee.

State Congress president Ramesh Chennithala said he was looking into the incident.

“Appropriate action would be taken after looking into the matter. It will happen soon,” Chennithala said.

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