Kerala police to close case against ex-minister Saji Cheriyan

The Kerala police are likely to close the case citing a lack of evidence and have decided to file a report in court. The complainant in the case, advocate Bijoy Noel, however, said that the Kerala police were not willing to collect scientific evidence in the case.

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala police would close the case registered against former minister and CPI-M leader Saji Cheriyan over his anti-constitutional speech at a programme while he was the Minister for Fisheries, Culture and Youth Affairs in the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Cabinet. While addressing a public meeting on July 3 this year, Cheriyan said, "The Indian Constitution supports exploitation and looting of the people," and had sarcastically remarked that the words secularism and democracy were written here and there but they were exploiting the people. He had to later resign following the controversial remarks.

The Kerala police are likely to close the case citing a lack of evidence and have decided to file a report in court. The complainant in the case, Advocate Bijoy Noel, however, said that Kerala police were not willing to collect scientific evidence in the case. It may be recalled that a case has been registered with non-bailable charges against Cheriyan but the police neither summoned the former minister nor was he questioned. Cheriyan is an influential CPI-M leader in central Travancore and has been the district secretary of the party in the Alappuzha district. He is currently an MLA from the Chengannur constituency. (Agency inputs)