The Kothamangalam First Class Judicial Magistrate Court on Tuesday extended the interim bail of Congress leaders arrested in connection with a protest held at Kothamangalam town with the body of a woman trampled to death at Kanjiraveli in Idukki district on Monday.
Mathew Kuzhalnadan, MLA, and Ernakulam District Congress Committee president Mohammed Shiyas, who were arrested by the Ernakulam rural police and presented at the magistrate’s house in the morning hours of Tuesday, were granted interim bail. Later, their case was taken up in the open court in the afternoon.
The police reportedly presented extensive evidence, including videos, against the leaders to back up their plea for their custody. After the hearing, the court extended the interim bail and posted the case for Wednesday.
A video of Mr. Shiyas having a go at a uniformed police officer and verbally abusing him is doing the rounds on social media.
Mr. Kuzhalnadan and Mr. Shiyas came to the court from the venue of a hunger strike being staged by the former and Eldhose Kunnappillil, MLA, demanding a permanent solution to the worsening human-wildlife conflict across the high ranges of the State.
The police had registered two cases in connection with the day-long protest at Kothamangalam town on Monday. In one case, Mr. Shiyas, United Democratic Front district convener Shibu Thekkumpuram, Dean Kuriakose, MP, and Mr. Kuzhalnadan were the key accused.
They had been booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 353 (assaulting or using criminal force against a public servant in the execution of his duty or with intent to prevent or deter him), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 297 (causing indignity to human corpse), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), and 149 (liability of member of all in unlawful assembly).
In another case registered on a petition filed by nursing superintendent of Taluk Hospital, Mr. Kuzhalnadan and Mr. Thekkumpuram were the key accused booked under the Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence) Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, besides the IPC Sections.
