Kerala Youth Cong leader arrested in connection with protest on flight with CM on board

The police had issued a summons to Sabarinadhan to appear on Tuesday in connection with a WhatsApp chat where he suggested waving black flags at the chief minister on a flight. His message read, “CM is coming to Thiruvananthapuram by flight from Kannur. If two persons board the flight and black flag him… any why they cannot be grounded…’’

Two YC workers, Farzeen Majeed and Naveen Kumar, were arrested on charges of attempted murders after raised slogans against Vijayan onboard the flight on June 13. LDF convener E P Jayarajan, who was on the same flight, pushed down the Youth Congress workers when they allegedly appeared to be approaching the chief minister. The arrested YC workers were granted bail by the high court, while a third accused YC worker, who travelled in the same flight, was granted anticipatory bail..

Based on the WhatsApp suggestion shared in the YC group, police arrested Sabarinadhan under sections 120 B (conspiracy), 307 (attempt to murder) and 34 (act done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

As per the summons, Sabarinadhan had turned before city police at 10.30 am on Tuesday. Half an hour later, the district sessions court in Thiruvananthapuram took up his anticipatory bail. His lawyer wanted the court to hear the anticipatory bail plea as the petitioner feared arrest. The court gave an oral direction to the prosecution not to arrest the petitioner. However, around 11.45 am, the government pleader informed the court that police had already arrested the petitioner at 10.50 am. Later, while being taken out from Valiyathura police station in the city, Sabarinadhan alleged conspiracy behind his arrest, which was recorded only at 12.30 pm.

The unexpected arrest of the Youth Congress leader sparked protest. Youth Congress state president Shafi Parambil said “Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is a coward. Kerala is not the Republic of Pinarayi Vijayan. Is there no right to raise slogans or raise black flags as part of protest? We would continue to black flag Vijayan. Let him arrest all on charges of attempt to murder,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, referring to the YC slogan raising against him on board the IndiGo flight, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the assembly that no democratic organisation would organise such “a terror act.”

Vijayan rejected the Opposition demand that a case should be registered against CPI(M) leader E P Jayarajan, who was travelling in the same flight, on charges of manhandling the YC workers who had raised the slogan. Vijayan was of the opinion that Jayarajan had tried to prevent the attack on him and hence no case could be registered against the CPI(M) leader.