THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A Kavaratti court on Wednesday sentenced Lakshadweep MP Mohammed Faizal and three others to 10-year imprisonment in an attempt to murder case. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on the convicts.
Soon after the verdict, the MP was arrested. He was shifted to the Kannur jail by afternoon. Meanwhile, Faizal moved the Kerala High Court seeking to stay the conviction so as to avoid disqualification. The Supreme Court had in 2013 ruled that MPs and MLAs convicted in criminal cases will be disqualified immediately.
Speaking to media, the NCP MP termed the case against him politically motivated. Faizal is fourth accused in the case registered in 2009. According to the prosecution, the MP led a group of people who attacked and critically injured Mohammad Salih, son-in-law of former Union minister P M Sayeed, during 2009 LS polls.
The NCP Lakshadweep unit and the MP had been organising major protests against the new regulations imposed in the island territory by the Lakshadweep administrator for sometime now. The party feels the case is part of a bid by the administrator to disqualify Faizal.