THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/KOCHI: Hell broke loose in the state’s political circles after reports that a man, wanted in connection with blackmailing of the clients of sex workers with secret videotapes, was arrested while fleeing the State Legislators’ Hostel in the capital, were he was allegedly staying put.
The reports were later denied by senior police officials in Kochi, who said V Jayachandran, the fifth accused in the blackmailing case, was arrested from Parassala on Thursday.
Sources in the Legislators’ Hostel however said he was caught near the hostel, while on the run. They said Jayachandran stayed at Room No 47 in the North Block, allotted to him as per the recommendation of Ex-MLA T Saratchandraprasad.
A four-member team led by Ernakulam North sub-inspector Honey K Das had reached the capital by tracking the mobile signals of the suspect.
The team traced the whereabouts of Jayachandran after staying in the capital for around four days.
“On July 23, the team made a request to the Legislature Secretary,” said the Speaker’s office. “We granted permission and also deputed the Watch and Ward to assist them,” an official said.
The Watch and Ward conducted a search in the hostel on Wednesday night and Jayachandran was nabbed, allegedly while fleeing the spot in his car.
Admitting that Jaychandran was a regular visitor to the hostel and used to stay there for two to three days, SI Honey K Das told ‘Express’ that initially the team had tracked down two of his associates, Murthy and Sunil Kottarakkara, to a location close to the Legislator’s Hostel.
“After taking them into custody, we received information that Jayachandran was using a white Scorpio bearing the registration number KL-20 B 600. Later, we nabbed him from the car at Parassala based on information obtained from the local police,” he said.