Sudhakaran will continue as Kerala PCC chief, Congress says a day after his arrest in a cheating case

“We will be discussing that matter. If that (resignation) is required I will step down. I will not be involved in anything that will adversely affect the party,” Sudhakaran replied to a specific media query on Saturday, 24 June.

Satheesan said the party was not discussing the possibility of replacing Sudhakaran.

A day after Sudhakaran’s arrest, the Congress appeared to have closed ranks behind the KPCC president.

Sudhakaran, representing Kannur in the Lok Sabha, reiterated that he would face the probe without fear.

Related: Kerala PCC president Sudhakaran arrested, granted bail

Congress pledges support

Speaking to reporters in Kochi on Saturday, Satheesan said Sudhakaran would not be removed from the party’s top position and the Congress would extend him all political and legal support.

“Sudhakaran is not alone but those in believing in democracy will stand with him unitedly to fight the fake case registered against him,” he said.

“The Congress party and the UDF are united on the matter and we will stand with Sudhakaran. The Congress workers in Kerala will protect him even at the cost of their life,” Satheesan further said.

Not just Sudhakaran, several top police officials, too, had visited Mavunkal, the Congress leader pointed out. If going to his house was a crime, how many police officers should be booked over their visits, he asked.

The senior leader further said the government could not intimidate the Opposition by registering cases and the Congress-led UDF would go ahead with a series of agitations to expose the corruption of the CPI(M)-led LDF government.

The KPCC would organise protest marches to the district police headquarters across the state on 4 July, Satheesan added.

Dismayed by the arrest of KPCC President @SudhakaranINC. Though he has been freed on anticipatory bail, this kind of politics does not augur well for Kerala. I call upon the authorities to put the value and practice of liberal democracy ahead of any inclination to exact political… https://t.co/4kSlNZ9Xkp

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 23, 2023

Related: Monson Mavunkal sentenced to life for raping minor 

MV Govindan denies allegations

CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan on Saturday refuted the Opposition party’s allegation that Sudhakaran’s arrest was politically motivated. He said there was strong evidence against him in the cheating case.

The people of the state won’t believe their propaganda that the case was politically motivated, he said. “The investigating officers have made it clear that there is evidence against the KPCC chief,” he told reporters in Delhi.

Govindan said he was hopeful that an effective investigation would continue in the cheating case whoever the accused.

Related: Kerala PCC chief K Sudhakaran gets anticipatory bail in cheating case

Pinarayi is ‘Mundu Modi’: Jairam Ramesh

Following Sudhakaran’s arrest, the national leadership of Congress came down heavily on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. They said he, just like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has a “fascist attitude” of imprisoning those critical of his government.

Later in the night, Congress and Youth Congress workers came out on the streets in various parts of the state and blocked roads in protest against Sudhakaran’s arrest.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also criticised Vijayan for acting against the opposition.

“Rest of the Opposition is on one track nationally, while Pinarayi Vijayan is busy proving what has all along been known—he is Mundu Modi (Modi in dhoti). This unwarranted harassment of Kerala PCC President K Sudhakaran based on a trumped-up case will only make our resolve stronger in Kerala,” he tweeted.

Rest of the Opposition is on one track nationally, while Pinarayi Vijayan is busy proving what has all along been known—he is Mundu Modi.

This unwarranted harassment of Kerala PCC President K. Sudhakaran based on a trumped up case will only make our resolve stronger in Kerala. https://t.co/9FFbvhquTv

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 23, 2023

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday, while asking Sudhakaran to appear before the Crime Branch on 23 June, had said that in the event he is arrested in the cheating case, he shall be released on bail on furnishing a bond of ₹50,000 with two sureties of the like amount.

It also directed the KPCC chief to cooperate with the investigation and not to attempt to intimidate or influence witnesses in the case.

The complainants in the case said that Sudhakaran helped Mavunkal to cheat them.

(With PTI inputs)