KOCHI: Hundreds of workers of Twenty20, including its chief coordinator Sabu M Jacob, have been booked for flouting Covid protocol during the funeral procession and the final rites ceremony of Deepu C K, a member of the corporate-backed political outfit at Kizhakkambalam, on Saturday.
Thousands had gathered to pay their last respects to Deepu, the area secretary of Twenty20, who died on Friday due to the injuries he suffered in the alleged assault by CPM workers.
As Deepu’s body tested Covid positive, the police had issued directives to the public to follow the protocol during the funeral. However, Twenty20 workers gathered in large numbers at Kizhakkambalam and the Kakkanad public crematorium.
Subsequently, the police booked the violators under the Kerala Epidemic Act, an officer said. “More people will be booked as we have examined the video footage. Those who were identified have been served notices,” said the officer.
The Kunnathunad police registered the case suo moto, the officer added. Meanwhile, Sabu Jacob termed the police action “biased” saying only the Twenty20 workers have been booked even when Opposition Leader V D Satheesan and former Kunnathunad MLA V P Sajeendran also attended the funeral.
“Why there are no cases against either Satheesan or Sajeendran, who participated in the funeral ceremony?” asked Sabu, who is also the MD of Kitex Group, which backs the Twenty20 political outfit.
Pointing out the mega ‘Thiruvathirakali’ organised recently by the CPM during its Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur district conferences violating the Covid protocol, Sabu alleged that the CPM and its workers are free to do whatever they want while cases are charged against those who criticise or protest against the ruling party.
Four CPM workers — Abdul Rahman, 36, Sainudheen, 27, Abdul Aziz, 42, and Muhammed Basheer, 36, — have been arrested, and charged with murder.
Hand over probe to CBI: Twenty20 chief
Kochi: Twenty20 chief coordinator and Kitex Group managing director Sabu M Jacob on Sunday demanded a CBI probe into the death of C K Deepu. “A fair probe cannot be expected from the police as it is trying to ‘scare away’ people by lodging cases against them,” he told mediapersons at Kizhakkambalam on Sunday.
Sabu said if the state government or the ruling party has no role in the death of Deepu the probe should be handed over to the CBI, and then more people would come forward to give evidence. “Right now, people are scared that the police will register cases against them. They booked me for flouting Covid protocol. They are trying to scare away anyone from coming forward,” he added.