Kerala police conducts raid at Marunadan Malayali online channel office; Seizes laptops, mobile phones
Marunadan Malayali Chief Editor Shajan Skariah had telecast a news report alleging maladministration of the Sports Hostel at the instance of Sreenijin, in his capacity as the Chairman, of the Districts Sports Council.
FollowKochi: In connection with a derogatory report concerning Kunnathunad Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) PV Sreenijin, the police raided the Marunadan Malayali office in Kochi on Monday (July 3). The police seized the employees' laptops, computers, and mobile phones. The cell phone will only be returned following the inspection, according to the police. The operation was carried out to discover the source of the news against V Sreenijan MLA, the police further said.
The police raided the employees' homes of Marunadan Malayali. A reporter of the channel, named Syam from Kollam was summoned to record his statement. In Thiruvananthapuram, the police searched the houses of two people who were employees of Marunadan Malayali this morning. The inspection was conducted at Maruthamkuzhi and Valiyavila.
Earlier on June 30, the Kerala High Court refused to give anticipatory bail to the Chief editor of Marunadan Malayali Shajan Skariah. Following the earlier denial of his anticipatory bail by a Special Court, Shajan—who is also the publisher of the YouTube channel—filed an appeal with the court.
According to High Court judge VG Arun who heard the case, there are remarks meant to degrade MLA Sreenijin in the relevant video broadcast by Marunadan. The channel has accused Sreenijin of murder, "insinuation against" his father-in-law, and "aspersions on nameless judicial officers," among other things. The judge pointed out that the alleged video also referred to the MLA as a "Mafia Don."
Skariah had telecast a news report alleging maladministration of the Sports Hostel at the instance of Sreenijin, in his capacity as the Chairman, of the Districts Sports Council. Skaria got upset by the Special Court's refusal to grant him anticipatory bail after the MLA filed a criminal case against him under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
The prosecution's case against Skariah was that a particular news item made false, and unsubstantiated claims against the de facto complainant, a member of the scheduled caste, to degrade him.
