Kochi: Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan on Tuesday accused the state police of adopting double standards while registering cases against activists of different political parties. Citing the FIRs registered against the protesting Youth Congress and SFI workers in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram respectively, Satheesan said police slapped non-bailable charges on his party workers and bailable ones against the CPM supporters for similar offences.

Youth Congress activists were booked by Palarivattom police in Kochi for staging a black flag protest against the Chief Minister, while Cantonment police in Thiruvananthapuram registered an FIR against SFI activists who waved black flags at Governor Arif Mohammed Khan.

The Congress staged a late-night protest at the Palarivatom police station on Monday at the end of which Youth Congress activists were produced before the magistrate and released on bail.

"The chief minister's stance is that there can't be any protest against him and his government. The attempt was to jail those who waved black flags by framing them. The Youth Congress workers were first slapped with bailable charges only. Later, non-bailable offences were added at the behest of the CPM area committee secretary and other leaders who visited the police station. Is the CPM area secretary the city police commissioner?" asked Satheesan.

The Congress leader said the CPM local leaders visited the police station and exerted pressure on top officers at the behest of a "manipulators' gang” which functions from the chief minister's office.

"The ADGP in charge of law and order is the officer who implements the orders of the gang. The names of the gang members will be revealed soon. When I called up the commissioner he revealed his helplessness. That's why we say the area committee secretary should take the commissioner's seat," said Satheesan.