Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Friday issued an order against arresting Twenty20 party chief Sabu M Jacob over a complaint filed by Kunnathunadu MLA P V Sreenijin. A case was filed by Puthencruz police under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act based on Sreenijin's complaint that Sabu made casteist remarks against him at a party conference held recently. Meanwhile, Sabu demanded that the FIR against him be quashed as it was frivolous.
Sabu's lawyer argued that Sreenijin was trying to get Sabu arrested by any means owing to the political enmity between the two. He accused Sreenijin of trying to stop the Twenty20 party conference from happening in Kolenchery on January 21. However, the High Court intervened at the last minute then too and granted permission for the same. His lawyer further claimed this case was Sreenijin's way of getting back at Sabu for not being able to stop the conference.
The public prosecutor appearing for Sreenijin pointed out that Sabu indeed committed the crimes mentioned in the complaint and the incident in question was a deliberate attempt to insult and belittle the CPM MLA.
This is not the first instance where Sreenjin has accused Sabu of caste abuse. In his complaint, Sreenijin stated that Twenty20 members, who are part of the governing body, leaving the stage whenever he attends a panchayat-level programme should be considered as caste discrimination.
