Wayanad Congress leader’s arrest in fake case: Human Rights panel orders probe

Kalpetta: The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) has intervened in a fabricated case against Kanattumalayil Thankachan, alias Augustin, a Congress leader from Pulpally. KSHRC judicial member K Baijunath registered a suo motu case against the police personnel for arresting the politician following a raid on his house.

The rights panel has also directed the Wayanad District Superintendent of Police to submit a report within 15 days after conducting an inquiry into the entire episode.

Augustin, a resident of Marakkadavu near Mullankolly, was arrested on the night of August 22 for allegedly possessing five litres of illicit liquor brought from Karnataka and 15 country bombs in his car porch.

According to police, the arrest was part of a conspiracy hatched by his political rivals amid factional feuds within the Congress in the Pulpally region. However, further investigation established Augustin’s innocence, and he was released on September 7 following a request submitted by the police.

So far, only one person has been arrested in connection with the incident, for sourcing the liquor from Karnataka that was used to implicate the Congress leader. The panel will consider the case in October during its sitting in Sulthan Bathery.