The recent controversy over the yet-to-be-published autobiography of senior CPI(M) leader E P Jayarajan on Tuesday took a new turn after police registered a case against DC Books publications manager A V Sreekumar. The case was registered based on a complaint from Jayarajan, who is a central committee member of CPI(M). On November 13, the publishing house DC Books had announced the release of Jayarajan’s autobiography titled, Black Tea and Parippu Vada – Life of a Communist. However, after a draft of the autobiography came out in the media and triggered a controversy, DC Books postponed the release of the book. Subsequently, alleging a conspiracy behind the leak of the draft, Jayarajan filed a police complaint. The Kottayam East police on Tuesday registered the FIR under sections 316(b) (criminal breach of trust) and 318(2) (cheating) of BNS, as well as section 72 (breaching privacy and confidentiality) of the Information Technology Act. According to the FIR, Jayarajan, with the intention of writing an autobiography, had shared notes pertaining to his experiences and political life with a journalist. It alleged that Sreekumar obtained these notes from the journalist. However, on November 13, news about the autobiography appeared in the media with many controversial quotes attributed to the book. It was allegedly done without the permission of Jayarajan, the FIR said. The controversy had rocked Kerala on the day of the by-elections to the Chelakkara Assembly seat and Wayanad Lok Sabha seat. Jayarajan had acknowledged that he was in the process of writing his autobiography. The purported excerpts that came out included criticisms of the second Pinarayi Vijayan government and called for corrective organisational and administrative measures. “The first tenure had created a good impression among people but could not be retained. Our journey ahead will depend on the extent to which we rectify ourselves,” the draft read. Claiming that the Left was becoming weak in Kerala, the excerpts said Jayarajan was shunted out from the post of LDF convener as the party did not understand him.
