MLA calls woman IAS officer one ‘without brains’

IDUKKI: A CPI(M) legislator has courted controversy after he publicly slandered a young woman IAS officer, saying she "lacked brains," after the official tried to stop an 'unauthorised' construction of a shopping complex at Munnar hill station. The incident, which occurred on Friday, came to light when some television channels aired visuals of Devikulam MLA S Rajendran purportedly making disparaging comments that sub collector Dr Renu Raj "lacked brains" and has no powers to intervene in the construction as building rules come under the purview of panchayats.