Thushar Vellapally arrested in UAE, CM seeks Union minister's

: Thushar Vellapally, President of Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), a coalition partner of the BJP-led NDA in Kerala, has been arrested at Ajman in UAE in connection with a Rs 19 crore cheque case.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, seeking his intervention in the matter.

Vellapally is also the Vice President of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, a prominent organisation of the backward Ezhava community in the state.

The arrest was on a complaint from a Thrissur native N Abdulla in a rs 19 crore cheque case of 2009 when Vellapally was running a construction business in Ajman, according to media reports.

Thushar Vellapally had unsuccessfully contested as the NDA candidate from Wayanad in the Lok Sabha elections in April 23 this year, in which Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had emerged triumphant.

In the letter, a copy of which was released to the media here, Vijayan expressed concern about the well being and health of Thushar Vellapally.

"News channels have reported the arrest of Shri Thushar Vellapally, Vice President of Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) yogam at Ajman in United Arab Emirates.

I express concern about his well-being and health while in custody. All possible help within the limits of law needs to be made available to him.

I request your kind personal attention and intervention in this regard", Vijayan said in the letter.