Four Congress leaders, who were named as the accused in a case of allegedly vandalising Malayalam actor Joju George‘s car during the party’s NH bypass blockade on November 1 in a protest against fuel price hike, surrendered before the police on Monday evening, The New Indian Express reported.
Congress leader Tony Chammany, Youth Congress State Secretaries Manu Jacob and PY Shahjahan, and Youth Congress Mandalam presidents Gerges and Arun Varghese were named as the four who surrendered before the Maradu police station. Earlier, in this case, two Congress party workers Shereef Buhari, an Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) leader and former Thrikkakara mandalam president of Youth Congress, and INTUC leader Joseph were arrested and are currently under judicial custody.
Reports stated that on November 1, the protest caused a huge traffic jam for close to two hours on the Edappally-Vytilla highway. The actor, who was passing through the protest site, had reportedly questioned the Congress workers, following which the window panes of his vehicle were allegedly broken by the protesters, The News Minute reported.
The report also states that in a video the actor was heard shouting, “I’m not here to show off. It’s been two hours and the vehicles are blocked. What kind of dirty programme is this? This shows the condition of our state.” While the actor filed a complaint against the leaders for vandalising his car, the Congress leaders alleged that the actor misbehaved with them, including women protesters.
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“I would present myself before Maradu police on Monday in connection with a case filed against me by an individual Joju who tried to disrupt the DCC’s protest against the rising fuel prices. I am doing so since I am a law-abiding citizen and I am confident that I will be able to prove my innocence. Indian National Congress would continue the protest against the fuel price hike,” Chammany posted on Facebook on Monday.
The Kochi city police have registered a case against 15 persons, TNIE reported.
According to Onmanorama, the bail plea of Chammany and a few others will be heard on Tuesday.