The Palarivattom police on Thursday booked the CPI(M) Kalamassery area secretary and District Sports Council president V.A. Zakir Husain on charge of threatening a businessman in Kochi.
The case followed a complaint lodged by Jube Paulose from Vennala, alleging that Mr.Husain had threatened him demanding that he withdraw from a business deal. Karukappally Sidhique, a former DYFI activist, who is currently in jail in connection with an extortion case, is the second accused in the case.
The case was registered under IPC Sections 323, 342, 363, 365, 506(1) and 120 (b) for illegal confinement and criminal intimidation.
Mr.Paulose had earlier approached Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with a complaint. Mr.Vijayan forwarded it to the Palarivattom police for taking appropriate action. In his complaint, Mr.Paulose alleged that Mr.Husain had threatened him, asking him to withdraw from a business deal with Sheela Thomas, a native of Kakkanad, and said that the woman was close to the party leadership.
Mr.Hussain also allegedly told the complainant that he would not allow continuation of the business agreement and would pay a compensation of up to Rs.12 lakh for giving up the deal.
According to the complainant, it was Sidhique, the second accused, who had taken him to Mr.Husain in order to settle the issue. Earlier, Sidhique also allegedly threatened him, claiming that it was a “quotation” from CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
On November 11, 2014, Mr. Paulose had entered into a business deal with Sheela Thomas, who runs Acrah Organics Private Limited, for supplying diary products from his farm.
“The business was begun with a loan of Rs. 35 lakh from the IDBI Bank. However, Sheela Thomas unilaterally withdrew from the deal after five months’’, the complainant said. Later, Assistant Commissioner of Police in Thrikkakara, Mr. Bijo Alexander, summoned the complainant to his office and directed him to close down the business establishment. “Following this, I approached the Ernakulam munsif court, which pronounced a verdict in my favour. But the CPI(M) leaders intervened and threatened to close the deal’’, the complaint said.
Mr. Husain denied all the allegations levelled against him and said he had only held a reconciliatory talk in view of the police inaction on the issue. He also refuted having any links with Karukappilly Siddique.
