KOCHI: Kerala police have registered a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, against Twenty20 party's chief coordinator and industrialist Sabu M Jacob, Aikkaranadu Panchayat President Deena Deepak and four other panchayat members on a complaint filed by Kunnathunad MLA P V Sreenijin.
The case was registered on December 8 under sections 3(1) (r) and 3 (1) (u) of the SC/ST Act based on a complaint filed by the Left MLA in the month of September.
Apart from Jacob and Deepak, the case has been registered against the Panchayat Vice- President, Prasanna Pradeep, members Sathya Prakash, Jeel Mavelil and Rehani P T.
Section 3 (1)(r) of the Act deals with the offence of intentionally insulting or intimidating with an intent to humiliate a member of scheduled caste or a scheduled tribe in any place within public view.
Meanwhile, section 3(1)(u) of the Act deals with the words, either written or spoken, promoting or attempting to promote feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will against members of the scheduled caste or scheduled tribe.
The FIR states that Jacob barred the panchayat members from attending any event with Sreenijin.
It also alleges that on August 17, the accused left the stage when Sreenijin arrived during an event organised by the Agriculture department to insult the MLA in front of the public. The MLA also complained that Jacob has made derogatory statements many times.
"He had made many derogatory statements against me but I always ignored it considering it as their political stand. But on August 17, the panchayat president invited me to attend a programme. When I reached there, those who were on the stage, including the panchayat president, left the dais and sat among the audience,"' Sreenijin told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.
Sreenijin alleged Jacob had earlier urged the people to treat the Left MLA as an enemy and barred the panchayat members from attending any functions with him. Sreenijin said it was not a political issue but a social one against ostracisation.
Meanwhile, Jacob, who met the media here, said it was the political decision of his party not to attend any function with other political party leaders.
He reiterated his allegations that the Left government was attempting to destroy his business and has conducted more than a dozen raids.
"The government has not found a single irregularity in the raids. The Left party wants the destroy the Twenty20 before the next Assembly elections," Jacob said, adding that he does not fear arrest.
Twenty20 is a charity outfit floated by the Anna-Kitex Group group seven years ago which later became a political platform and won four grama panchayats in the local body polls held in Kerala in 2020.