Kerala police fail to see criminal cases against CM, ministers and MLAs: BJP

The Kerala BJP on Tuesday said the state police were executing arrest warrants only against its leaders whereas several criminal cases have been pending against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his cabinet colleagues and party legislators.

Party general secretary A.N. Radhakrishnan, currently on an indefinite hunger strike before the state secretariat, told the media that the state police chief Loknath Behra was "unable to see any of the criminal cases" against his political bosses.

"It's best that he quits his job and joins the CPI-M party headquarters as a chowkidar (sentry)," said Radhakrishnan, whose fast entered second day, demanding justice to his party colleague K. Surendran, currently lodged in a jail in the state capital.

"There are four criminal cases against Vijayan, seven against Industries Minister E.P. Jayarajan, 27 against Devasom Minister Kadakampally Surendran, and several oters in cluding CPI-M legislators M. Swaraj and T.V. Rajesh," Radhakrishnan said.

"In several cases, arrest warrants are pending, but Behra does not see any of these warrants," the BJP leader.

Surendran was taken into custody when he was on his way to pray at the Sabarimala temple on November 17. The state police have taking action against him in about a dozen cases registered against him at several police stations in the state.

A four-member delegation of BJP MPs has been camping in the state and has visited the temple town, met the Kerala Governor P.Sathasivam and took part in Radhakrishnan's fast.

Party sources say they will be submitting their report to party president Amit Shah and will be raising the issue in Parliament.

On the BJP charge that the CM's office was behind 'fixing' Surendran, Vijayan shot back: "The officers have enough work to do. They don't get time for other things."

--IANS

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