3 hours ago
2
The Thiruvananthapuram City constabulary person arrested 18 CPI(M) workers truthful acold successful transportation with the onslaught connected Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials and vehicles during the raid astatine erstwhile Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan residence successful the city.
Those arrested see erstwhile Thiruvananthapuram Corporation councillor I.P. Binu. The constabulary stated that 5 much accused, including erstwhile councillor Attukal Unni, are inactive absconding and efforts are underway to hint their whereabouts.
According to the police, Attukal Unni was allegedly among the main conspirators down the incidental and purportedly played a starring relation successful blocking the ED conveyance during the convulsive protest.
Those arrested were produced earlier the Vanchiyoor District Court and aboriginal taken to the General Hospital for aesculapian examination. Party workers gathered extracurricular the infirmary and raised slogans successful enactment of the arrested leaders.
Meanwhile, the prosecution powerfully opposed the bail pleas of the accused during tribunal proceedings. The prosecutors rejected the defence statement that the ED officials were not connected authoritative work astatine the clip of the incident, and maintained that the assertion was not legally sustainable.
The prosecution besides contended that adjacent though the ED officials were travelling successful a taxi vehicle, the onslaught inactive falls nether the categories of ‘destruction of nationalist property’ and ‘obstruction of authorities officials performing authoritative duties’.
Senior CPI(M) person V. Sivankutty criticised the constabulary action, and alleged that raids were conducted successful galore houses without hunt warrants. He said portion ineligible enactment could beryllium taken against the CPI(M) workers if immoderate unlawful activities had occurred during the protest, targeting their families was unacceptable.
He alleged that aged people, bedridden patients and adjacent crab patients successful the homes of protesters were intimidated during the raids.
According to Mr. Sivankutty, the constabulary and ED officials had aggravated the tense concern pursuing the raid by driving vehicles towards the activists who were inactive seated astatine the protestation venue. The purported enactment paved the mode for further confrontation, helium alleged.
