Sabarinadhan arrested for plotting protest against CM on IndiGo flight

Thiruvananthapuram: Former Kerala legislator and Youth Congress vice-president K S Sabarinadhan has been arrested over allegedly plotting the in-flight protest against Kerala Chief Minister recently. He landed in trouble as digital evidence in planning the odd protest emerged.

His arrest was registered at the Shankumugham police station on Tuesday morning.

The police recorded the arrest of the Congress leader even as a local court was about to consider his anticipatory bail plea. When the Thiruvananthapuram District Sessions Court took up the bail plea, the government's lawyer informed the court about his arrest.

The court then asked the government to produce the time and record of the arrest.

Will fight legally: YC

The news of Sabarinadhan's arrest triggered a strong protest by Youth Congress activists who gathered in front of the Valiyathura police station where the former was being questioned.

Youth Congress state president Shafi Parambil and MLA and Roji M John MLA were among the protesters.

Shafi Parambil said the record of Sabarinadhan's arrest was forged. "He was summoned as a witness and his arrest was recorded. His bail application was taken by the court at 11 am and it was at 11.45 am that the additional public prosecutor informed the court that his arrest was recorded at 10.50 am. We doubt that the document of the arrest was forged. We will fight it legally and politically," Parambil told media.

Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan said the government has misinformed the court. He said it was only after the court orally instructed the police not to arrest Sabarinadhan that his arrest was recorded. "The government is acting in a vengeful manner," he said.

Sabarinadhan had said that the move to register a case against the protest inside the flight exposed the government's cowardice. He said the protest was held in a democratic manner. He said the Youth Congress did not function as directed by the Congress. 

The two Youth Congress activists — Furseen Majeed and R K Naveen — were arrested on June 14 and charged with attempt to murder. They were granted bail on June 23.

The incident happened on June 12 as an IndiGo flight landed at the airport in the Kerala capital.

The Sanghumukham assistant commissioner had earlier issued a notice asking Sabarinadhan to be present before the investigation team on Tuesday.

The police suspect that it was Sabarinadhan who directed the Youth Congress activists to stage the protest.

The screenshots of an alleged WhatsApp chat suggesting Sabarinathan's involvement in the incident have been circulating on social media for the last few days.