A court in Thiruvananthapuram has issued an arrest warrant against newly sworn-in CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member AA Rahim from Kerala, in a case registered against him based on a complaint filed by a college professor, who alleged that she was harassed and held hostage by him and other Students Federation of India (SFI) activists some years ago. The Thiruvananthapuram Chief Judicial Magistrate's court has issued the arrest warrant after Rahim failed to appear before the court when he was asked to do so in the past.
Along with Rahim, 11 others are also accused in the case, which pertains to an incident from 2017, when he, along with other students, approached Dr Vijayalekshmi seeking release of funds for the conduct of the Kerala University union festival.
According to Vijayalekshmi’s complaint, she said that she will release the funds but before that she sought a utilisation certificate explaining how the funds given previously were spent. She claimed that Rahim and the others objected to this and restrained her for a few hours.
Rahim, 41, was a surprise selection to the Upper House and he was sworn in early this month. His stock rose hugely in the party ever since he became a popular face on TV channel debates defending the party at all times.
Elections to fill 13 Rajya Sabha seats across six states were held on March 31. While members from Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Nagaland and Tripura retired on April 2, five members from Punjab retired on April 9, which had prompted the elections.
In Kerala, the elections were held as the terms of senior Congress leader AK Antony, K Somaprasad from the CPI(M) and MV Shreyams Kumar (LJD) expired on April 2. The ruling Left alliance in Kerala consists of CPI(M), CPI, KC(M), NCP, JD(S), Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) and various smaller parties.