The top echelons of the CPM were shaken on Wednesday when its prominent leader P Jayarajan was arrested in connection with the Abdul Shukkoor murder case. The CPM lost no time in retaliating by announcing a statewide hartal on Thursday and the cadre went on the rampage in the party’s citadel, Kannur, and other places.
P Jayarajan, CPM Kannur district secretary, was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days and taken to the central prison here. He was arrested at the office of the Circle Inspector here following the third round of questioning by the police team probing the murder of the Muslim League worker on February 20. The arrest was under Section 118 of IPC for not trying to prevent a murder even after knowing about the conspiracy.
Jayarajan had been asked to come to the office of the CI at 11 am for the final round of interrogation after T V Rajesh MLA was questioned on July 30. Jayarajan came along with MLAs James Mathew, C Krishnan and K K Narayanan and party leaders P K Sreemathy, M V Jayarajan, K K Ragesh and K P Sahadevan. Massive crowds of CPM workers also had gathered at various places around the district police office.
His questioning lasted only for a few minutes and he was told about the ground of his arrest. He was seen asking the officials what evidence they had about his knowledge of the conspiracy in advance.
Jayarajan was taken to the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court -I under heavy police protection. The party workers tried to block the vehicle carrying Jayarajan to the court and it was damaged in their attack.
Tension prevailed on the premises of the court too as the vehicle reached there. Judicial First Class Magistrate Mujeeb Rehman remanded him in 14 days’ judicial custody after a few minutes of arguments by Jayarajan’s advocate.
The CPM supporters shouted slogans hailing Jayarajan as he was taken out of the court . The police used teargas shells to disperse the mobs which turned violent at several places here.
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