Court Issues Stay on Arrest of Wayanad Congress Leaders Until January 15 in Vijayan Suicide Investigation
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Wayanad, Jan 10 (NationPress) Sulthan Bathery Congress MLA I.C. Balakrishnan and former legislator and Wayanad district Congress president N.D. Appachan obtained a temporary reprieve on Friday when a local city court ordered the police to refrain from arresting them until January 15.
This ruling was made in response to an anticipatory bail request submitted by Balakrishnan and Appachan after police filed an FIR against them following the tragic suicide of Wayanad District Congress Committee treasurer N.M. Vijayan and his son on December 27.
Both N.M. Vijayan and his son were discovered deceased at their residence, with a suicide note alleging the misappropriation of funds collected from various candidates for positions in cooperative banks. The note implicated Congress leaders, including Balakrishnan, Appachan, and K.K. Gopinathan, as recipients of these funds and referenced loans taken to cover the misused amounts.
The suicide note, directed at Congress leaders, instructed N.M. Vijayan's son, Vijesh, to deliver it to the Wayanad district police chief after a period of ten days. The emergence of this letter fueled demands from CPI-M leaders for the immediate detention of the Congress leaders.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who also serves as the Home Minister, called for prompt police action, resulting in the registration of an FIR against the Congress leaders. Observers interpreted this as a retaliatory action after the Congress previously sought accountability from CPI-M leader and Kannur District Panchayat president P.P. Divya concerning the suicide of Kannur Additional District Magistrate Naveen Babu in October.
Facing mounting pressure, Divya resigned, was denied anticipatory bail, and spent some time incarcerated before being released on bail. The CPI-M and CM Vijayan argue that the same charge of "abetment of suicide" applies to Balakrishnan and Appachan.
However, Balakrishnan and Appachan found some relief when Vijayan's wife and surviving son, after meeting with Congress leaders led by veteran legislator and former Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, expressed their ongoing trust in the party.
On Friday, while issuing verbal orders to postpone the arrests of the Congress leaders, the court instructed the police to present the case diary for examination.
Attention is now directed towards Wayanad Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, who has yet to provide a statement regarding the recent developments. Speculation also surrounds groups within the Congress party that oppose Balakrishnan and Appachan.
