The Communist Party of India (M) State Secretary M.V. Govindan’s statements against the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President K. Sudhakaran during the course of a press conference last month didn’t amount to a call for riot, the Crime Branch has found.
A petition inquiry report to that effect was submitted to the State Police Chief by the CB Superintendent of Police Sabu Mathew on Tuesday. The investigation agency was asked to conduct a petition inquiry last month on a complaint lodged by one Payichira Navas who alleged that Mr. Govindan’s statements amounted to a call for riot and were aimed at influencing the police and the judiciary.
“Detailed investigation and the analysis of Monson Mavunkal’s (self-styled antique dealer) case documents and statements therein was held as part of the inquiry. However, no ground was found for invoking IPC 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot). A decision on whether to go ahead with further probe was left to the top echelons of the police,” sources said.
In his statement, Mr. Govindan had drawn a link between a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case involving Monson and Mr. Sudhakaran. Quoting media reports, he claimed that the victim had confirmed Mr. Sudhakaran’s presence at the place where she was sexually assaulted and that she had even given a statement to that effect to the CB. His claim that the CB would probe the link of Mr. Sudhakaran in the POCSO case was straightaway shot down by the agency. Monson was since then sentenced to imprisonment for the rest of his life in the POCSO case probed by the CB.
Mr. Sudhakaran had since then filed a defamation case before the Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate Court against Mr. Govindan and Kannur district panchayat president P.P. Divya for their alleged statements against him in connection with the POCSO case. He had also initiated proceedings against the CPI (M) mouthpiece Deshabhimani for the reports carried against him on the matter.
