Kerala Congress (B) chairman R Balakrishna Pillai staged a sit in protest infront of the Pathanapuram police station on Sunday demanding the release of a local party leader, arrested on charges of cheating. Tense moments prevailed as Forest Minister K B Ganesh Kumar’s supporters reached the area in considerable numbers.
On Saturday, Kerala Congress activist Abdul Aziz was taken into custody by Pathanapuram police based on a complaint by Pradeep Kumar, Additional Private Secretary to Minister Ganesh Kumar. In the complaint, Pradeep said that Aziz demanded huge amount of cash from contractor Kalanjoor Madhu using his name.
Pradeep said that Kalanjoor Madhu informed him about the cash sought by Aziz. Pillai maintained that Abdul Aziz is the Pathanapuram constituency committee secretary and he had requested a donation from Kalanjoor Madhu in connection with the inauguration of the new party office at Pathanapuram Town on Monday.
Pillai claimed that Kalanjoor Madhu had not registered a complaint against the activist. Pillai reached the station premises by around 10 a m on Sunday and staged a sit in protest
To avoid a controversy similar to the one generated by Kannur MP K Sudhakaran recently, Pillai did not enter the station. Police reportedly moved the arrested activist to Kunnicode station anticipating a law-and-order issue. DySP K L John Kutty and senior police officers reached the station. Pillai ended his sit-in protest after Abdul Aziz was released on bail by around 1 p m.
Meanwhile, activists of both the factions, who reached the station, got engaged in a scuffle. Ganesh-faction activists blocked Pillai’s car when he was about to return from the station. Police personnel brought the situation under control and the activists were dispersed. Speaking to Express later in the day, Pillai alleged that Abdul Aziz was taken into custody based on false charges. “Abdul Aziz is the secretary of the party constituency committee and he was collecting donation for party by issuing proper receipt. How can this be called cheating?” Pillai asked.
Pillai said that he had submitted a written complaint to Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radha krishnan against certain top police officers in the region. He alleged that Pathanapuram police had been registering cases against party activists based on trumped up charges for sometime now.