A case has been registered against Nilambur MLA PV Anwar at the Karukachal police station in Kerala’s Kottayam district on Saturday, September 28, based on a complaint alleging that the MLA illegally tapped and leaked the phone conversations of senior police officers, potentially compromising public safety. The complaint was filed by Thomas K Peeliyanikkal, a resident of Nedumkunnam.
According to the FIR registered on Saturday, the complainant stated that the MLA had “illegally infiltrated the telecommunication system to access and leak phone information of high-ranking officials and others in a manner that threatens public safety. The accused also made these leaks public through visual media with the deliberate intention of inciting hatred and fear among the public, and provoking a riot.”
The case was registered under Section 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to provocation with intent to cause riot.
Speaking to the media on September 29, Thomas clarified that no one had pressured him to file the complaint, adding that it was inappropriate for a public figure to leak phone conversations of senior officers. “I was a Congress worker until 12 years ago, but I have had no affiliations with any political party since then. I filed this complaint solely because it’s wrong to illegally tap phones, especially of someone in public service. I learned about this only through the media,” he said.
It was on August 31 that Anwar first made accusations that sent shockwaves through the Kerala police and government. The MLA alleged that the then Malappuram District Police chief, Sujit Das, along with a team of officers, intercepted gold smugglers outside the Karipur airport in Kozhikode with malicious intent. “ADGP Ajith Kumar is linked to a gold smuggling syndicate. A team based in Dubai, working as police informants, provides ticket numbers and even the passwords of passengers acting as gold carriers. The police seize the gold, but only report a small portion of what is actually confiscated,” Anwar claimed.
Since then, Anwar has made several allegations against the ADGP, the Chief Minister’s political secretary, and more recently against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan himself. He also announced that he has severed all ties with the ruling Left Democratic Front and will continue to serve as an independent MLA.
Read: How ruling front MLA PV Anwar forced Kerala govt to probe police top brass