The police on Monday morning arrested Ajayan Manoor (49), first accused and the alleged mastermind behind a secret meeting of suspected Maoists at Mavelikara on December 29 last year.
He was nabbed from his house at Manoor, near Muvattupuzha, by a police team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy.SP), Chengannur, Baby Charles. He was produced before Mavelikara Judicial First Class Magistrate Court I and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.
The police team, acting on a tip-off, seized posters, pamphlets, and books of the Revolutionary Democratic Front (RDF), an organisation floated by Mr. Ajayan. However, Mr. Ajayan denied any roles for his organisation in the Mavelikara meeting of the alleged Maoists. The police said Mr. Ajayan had been involved in distributing pamphlets in various parts of Ernakulam district and the Ernakulam Press Club last week.
Mr. Charles told The Hindu that Mr. Ajayan had been charged under Sections 10, 13, 18, 18 B, and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The police will file a petition before the court on Tuesday seeking his custody.
The local police had on December 29 arrested five persons, Rajesh (34) of Mavelikara, Shiyas (23) of Kazhakuttam, Bahuleyan (50) of Njarayilkonam, Devarajan (50) of Mayyanad, and Gopal (52) of Chennai (a retired scientist at the Kalpakkom Indira Gandhi Atomic Research Centre) from a lodge in Mavelikara while allegedly holding the meeting. Two minor girls who were with the arrested were later handed over to their relatives. Six mobile phones and a laptop were seized from them and handed over to cyber cell. Later, additional sub-inspector K.Y. Damian, who arrested the minor girls, was found hanging from a tree near his house.