Congress criticises actor Vinayakan’s release on bail; Police justify action

PTI, Oct 25, 2023, 1:48 PM IST

The opposition Congress has denounced the Kerala police for slapping only bailable sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against actor Vinayakan who was arrested for allegedly creating a ruckus at a police station here in an inebriated state.

The actor allegedly caused a commotion at the Ernakulam Town North police station on Tuesday evening, where he was summoned by the police over a dispute with his wife at his apartment. In a hard-hitting Facebook post, Congress leader and Thrikkakkara MLA Uma Thomas alleged that weak sections were slapped against the actor and he was released on station bail despite his bad behaviour and obstruction of the duty of the officers.

She asked whether his sudden release was a ”privilege of being a comrade”, a reference to Communists.

Thomas also sought to know whether the award-winning actor was released as per the instructions from the Cliff House.

Cliff House is the official residence of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The MLA, in the FB post on Tuesday night, also pointed out that the act would demoralise the police officers who work with dignity.

However, Kochi DCP Sasidharan rejected the charges and said the police would not yield to any kind of influence and Vinayakan had been imposed with sections which may earn him punishment for upto three years.

”Police will not yield to any influence,” he told reporters here.

To a question, the officer said it would be examined whether the actor had verbally abused the police personnel at the station.

Video footages would be examined and relevant sections would be slapped if necessary, he added.

The DCP also said that non-bailable section would exist only if there was any criminal force against anyone.

Vinayakan was arrested for causing trouble at the police station. The actor was then taken to a nearby hospital for necessary medical examination, the police said. Later, he was let off on bail after due procedure. Meanwhile, Vinayakan, while leaving with the police from the hospital after his medical examination, told mediapersons that he was unaware why he was arrested.