Kochi: V.A. Zakir Hussein, CPM Ernakulam district committee member and Kalamasserry area secretary, facing charges of abduction, extortion and illegal confinement of an entrepreneur, has filed a petition seeking anticipatory bail before the District Sessions Court. The petition for anticipatory bail has been submitted amidst reports that the tainted leader has left the state and gone into hiding.
The police, meanwhile, is mulling issuance of a lookout notice for the first accused in the case of abducting Juby Poulose, a business partner of Sheela Thomas, running a dairy plant. Ernakulam DCP Arul R.B. Krishna told this newspaper on Saturday that issuance of lookout notice is one of the options before the police and they would take a decision on exercising the option at a proper time. He also declined to comment about reports that the accused has left the state.
Unconfirmed reports said that Hussein has slipped out of Ernakulam and managed to find a safe place in a neighbouring state with the help of party activists in Kannur. The police officials however declined to confirm or deny such reports.
The Palarivattom police had registered a case against Mr. Hussein on Wednesday following complaint filed by Mr. Poulose about the ordeal suffered by him one-and-a-half years ago. He is first accused in the case while Karukappally Siddique, a local leader of the DYFI the second accused.
The failure of the police in tracing the accused with strong political connection even three days after the registration of the case is likely to embarrass the LDF government in the coming days. The probe is likely to mount pressure after Monday when the court is expected to hear the petition for anticipatory bail, sources said. If the court rejects the bail plea, the probe team would swing into action to nab the person.
A person named Girish Babu of Punnakkadan House in Kalamassery submitted a memorandum to the State DGP Loknath Behera seeking instructions to issue an order to impound the passport of Mr. Hussein as he is likely to flee the country. He also sought that a lookout notice should be issued against him and steps be initiated to confiscate his properties.
