Former Kerala Congress MLA Sabarinadhan held on charges of conspiring to endanger CM

Former Congress MLA and Youth Congress Kerala state vice president K S Sabarinadhan was arrested by the police here on Tuesday on charges of conspiring to endanger chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s life.

The case was registered in connection with the June 13 incident on board an IndiGo flight, from Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram, in which two Youth Congress workers staged a protest and heckled Pinarayi.

Law and order situation in the state capital was tense with Congress and CPI(M) staging demonstrations in support of and against Sabarinadhan, respectively. He was later granted bail by a local court.

Congress leaders alleged that Sabarinadhan’s arrest was one more example of vindictive action, where a "flimsy" murder attempt case was filed for a peaceful protest. Opposition leader V D Satheesan accused the Chief Minister’s Office of plotting to arrest Sabarinadhan.

Read | Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan flays IndiGo's ban on CPI(M) leader Jayarajan

On June 13, two Youth Congress workers staged a protest against the Chief Minister inside an IndiGo flight from Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram. The city police registered a case under various section of the Indian Penal Code for attempt to murder and conspiracy against the two.

Sabarinadhan was summoned by the police on Tuesday for a statement, following which he was taken into custody. His arrest was made on the basis of a social media group chat of a Youth Congress activists’, in which Sabarinadhan suggested that a protest could be staged against Pinarayi inside a flight. The protest was in connection with allegations raised against the chief minister by UAE consulate smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh.

Youth Congress state president Shafi Parambil said that the workers would launch another protest against Pinarayi.

Earlier in the day the Chief Minister criticised IndiGo airline’s decision to ban CPI(M) senior leader and former minister E P Jayarajan for three weeks, in connection with the protest inside the flight.

In the state Assembly, Pinarayi said the airline failed to ensure passengers’ protection, and supported the agitators instead who tried to attack him. According to him, the travel ban on Jayarajan had no ground as it was an action taken in good faith.

Jayarajan, who was in the plane alongside the chief minister, pushed away the two Youth Congress workers who were heckling Pinarayi. IndiGo imposed a three-week ban on Jayarajan.