Summary:
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM’s internal probe report on alleged sexual misconduct by Shoranur MLA P K Sasi- accessed by TOI – has listed 10 reasons to question the complaint. The POSH Act of 2013 clearly defines that any unwelcome advances or unwanted touching amounts to sexual harassment. I have a peculiar affection towards you (sic)”.Sources said her first complaint was about improper touching and sexual advances by Sasi at the CPM area committee office Mannarkad in December 2017. The commission’s attempts to dismiss the version of the complainant in its entirety couldn’t succeed as the complainant submitted audio recording of four conversations she had with Sasi after the alleged assault.Sasi’s explanation for ‘loose talking’ to a woman comrade was not found improper by the commission which at the same time also recorded Sasi’s and some other netas allegations that there is a conspiracy behind the filing of sexual harassment complaint. It also appears to have been prejudiced against the complainant, a woman leader of Democratic Youth Federation of India.The report was first submitted to the CPM state committee on November 26, which suspended Sasi from the party’s primary membership for six months, and may have been the subject of discussions at the party’s ongoing two-day central committee’s weekend meeting in Delhi.The probe panel – led by A K Balan, also Kerala’s law minister and P K Sreemathy, an MP and one of Kerala’s seniormost women leaders – seem to have concluded that there wasn’t any “improper behaviour” from Sasi as alleged, but contradicted itself by quoting the transcript of a telephone conversation in which Sasi asks her, “What (sic) is the danger that we touched each other (sic) when I feel respect to (sic) you?....