Rape case: Former Perumbavoor MLA Eldhose Kunnappilly acquitted after complainant and witnesses turn hostile

The Neyyattinkara Sessions Court on Tuesday acquitted former Perumbavoor MLA, Eldhose Kunnappilly and two co-accused in the high-profile rape and attempted murder case.

The verdict came after a dramatic turn in the trial earlier in the day, during which the complainant and three other key witnesses had fallen out earlier in the day. The complainant, a native of Thiruvananthapuram, amended her original statement and testified that Mr. Kunnappilly did not sexually assault her.

The case dates back to an incident that took place on September 28, 2022. The woman filed a complaint that Mr. Kunnappilly, the then sitting MLA from Perumbavoor, forcibly took her to various places, including Kovalam, a friend’s apartment and his residence in Perumbavoor, and assaulted her repeatedly.

The Thiruvananthapuram District Crime Branch, which investigated the case, filed the charge sheet in May 2024. The investigation team in the case filed charges of rape and attempted murder on the basis that the accused tried to push the complainant to the top of the hill.

Mr Kunnappilly’s friends, Raneesh and Sippy Noordeen, co-accused in the case, were charged with criminal intimidation for allegedly threatening the woman to withdraw her complaint.

The legal battle reportedly prompted the Congress party leadership to deny him a seat to contest from Perumbavoor in the recent assembly elections.

Reacting to the verdict, Mr Kunnappilly said he had always believed he would be proven innocent. He also dismissed claims that the party had wronged him by denying him a seat in the election.

Published – 26 May 2026 20:57 IST