Kochi: The CPM Kalamassery area committee office witnessed dramatic scenes on Monday after the High Court rejected the anticipatory bail plea of CPM leader Zakir Hussain. The police claimed that they were awaiting the court order before taking a final call on arresting the ousted area committee secretary and the current Ernakulam district sports council president. Hundreds of CPM activists thronged the area committee office after it was reported that Zakir had reached there. The Palarivattom police came to the BTR Mandiram in the evening. As the court order had not reached them, there was confusion.
Party sources said that the court had granted seven days’ time for Zakir to surrender. Many activists said that they would not allow the police to take custody of the leader. According to sources, Zakir, an accused in the abduction of a businessman in Kochi, had held discussions with other leaders. He may surrender on Tuesday. The top cops in the city remained tight-lipped over the development and refused to make any official comment. The Yuva Morcha scheduled a protest march to the CPM office against the delay in arresting Zakir, but it was called off late in the day.
No bail, HC asks Zakir to surrender
The Kerala High Court on Monday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of CPM leader Zakir Hussain, an accused in an abduction case. The court asked Zakir, former Kalamassery area committee secretary, to surrender before the police within one week and directed the police to produce him before the magistrate who can hear his arguments. The accused and the cops are yet to get the signed copy of the judgement. The court accepted the contentions of the police that custodial interrogation of Zakir, an accused in 15 cases, was necessary to unearth the facts of the case. The state argued that Zakir is a history-sheeter and would influence the witnesses.
The cops have charged him with rioting with deadly weapons, destruction of public property and preventing the officials from discharging their duty. Zakir moved the High Court after the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court dismissed his plea. The CPM removed him from the post after the allegations surfaced and the police registered an FIR. Zakir went absconding soon after the FIR was lodged on October 19. The state reconstituted the probe team and an assistant commissioner of police is investigating the case. The Palarivattom police had registered a case against Zakir after Jube Paulose from Vennala filed a complaint alleging that Zakir had threatened him and asked him to withdraw from a business deal with Sheela Thomas, a native of Kakkanad.
