(Manorama News TV Principal Correspondent Anil K Emmanuel, who was first to report that Minister KT Jaleel had appeared for questioning at the NIA office in Kochi early on Thursday morning, recounts how he got the news)
Kochi: After it was confirmed that NIA would question Minister K T Jaleel, I was trying to figure out when and where he would be interrogated.
I got clear information in this regard around 4am on Thursday. I reached the neighbourhood of the NIA office in Kochi around 5am by pretending to be on my morning walk.
A 20-metre-long stretch of the road in front of the office was closed on both sides with barricades. This confirmed that the minister would arrive.
About an hour later, I noticed a car coming slowly. Jaleel could not be immediately identified because he was wearing a mask and the light in the area was dim.
I walked behind the car for about 100 metres while shooting the visuals with my mobile. When the car arrived at the NIA office, two people came out and removed the barricades.
The car was parked on the porch of the office. The minister got out only a little later. He walked straight into the office as if he did not want to show his face to anyone.
I called him saying, “Mr Minister,” but he kept walking without turning back. Meanwhile, an official gave him hand sanitiser. He then went inside the office.
It was while inquiring about the car with its number that I learnt that it belonged to A M Yusuf, a former MLA from Aluva.
Jaleel parked official vehicle near personal staff's house
There was a lot of drama in Minister K T Jaleel’s car journey to and from the NIA office in Kochi.
He arrived at the Pathadipalam government guest house in Kalamassery from Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday morning in complete secrecy. He didn’t park the official vehicle at the guest house. It was reportedly parked in the vicinity of the house of a personal staff in the Muppathadam area.
From the guest house, he reached the NIA office in Kochi at 6 pm in the car of former MLA A M Yusuf. After the questioning, the minister returned from the NIA office and got into his official vehicle at Kundannur.
He called me early in the morning: AM Yusuf
Former MLA A M Yusuf said that Minister Jaleel did not come to his home and that he contacted over the phone after 3am asking if the driver can be called.
Yusuf said his driver reached in 30 minutes. “Jaleel said he would be near the guest house in 10 minutes and wanted the vehicle to be sent there,” Yusuf said.
The minister got into the car outside the guesthouse. “He called again to say that he was taking the driver and the vehicle and that he had to reach the NIA office in the morning,” Yusuf said.
“Jaleel and I sat on the same bench in the Assembly from 2006 to 2011. We were good friends at that time and have been even after he became a minister. I cannot say no when he asks for a vehicle,” said Yusuf.
Tight police security
Even though Minister K T Jaleel arrived at the NIA office for questioning without informing anyone, the police reached the spot shortly after he came and set up heavy security. The police team was led by DCP G Poonkuzhali and ACPs K Lalji and Jijimon.
As news of the minister's arrival broke on Manorama News, more journalists flocked to the office area.
All major roads leading to the NIA office were closed with barricades. NIA officials arrived at 8am.
By 9:30am, the first protest demonstrations of the Youth Congress started. At 11am, it was the turn of the BJP.
The police stopped the protesters about 500 metres from the NIA office opposite the Kadavanthra GCDA.
