THIRUVANANATHAPURAM: Mr K. M. Shajahan, who was held in connection with the agitation by Jishnu Prannoy's parents, has been suspended from the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT), a state government agency. Mr Shajahan, who was a scientist with C-DIT, was suspended on the basis of a police report that he was remanded in judicial custody. C-DIT registrar issued the suspension order by invoking the provision of the Kerala Civil Services rules. He was on long leave from C-DIT for quite some time. Meanwhile, Mr. Shajahan alleged that the police action against him was due to the grudge of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as he was pursing the SNC- Lavalin case.
Mr Shajahan, who turned up at the Law College under police custody to write his LLB examination, told reporters that his arrest was a violation of the Constitution and that he would seek justice. Mr Shajahan's mother L. Thankamma, who has been staging a fast at her residence demanding his release, was planning to shift the venue of the stir to the secretariat gate. Meanwhile, a local court here on Monday declined the police application for the custody of Mr Shajahan for quizzing him citing that he needed to attend the ongoing LLB examination. The court, however, allowed the police to quiz him for one hour in the prison.
Four others held for accompanying Jishnu's parents to the police headquarters were released to police custody for four hours. SUCI leaders Shajarkhan, Mini and Sreekumar and controversial godman Himaval Bhadranananda alias 'thokku swami' were questioned by the police. The police are unlikely to press the case against the SUCI leaders as Jishnu's parents informed that they had sought their help. But they also said that they did not know Shajahan and Himaval Bhadrananda. The court also considered the bail applications of all the five on Monday and may deliver the orders on Tuesday.
