Kochi, 20 May (H.S.) :

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday granted a fresh five-day emergency parole to DYFI leader and Payyannur municipal councillor V.K. Nishad, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence in the sensational police bomb attack case. The parole was granted after Nishad cited the ill health of his mother-in-law in his plea before the court.

The latest parole has once again triggered public discussion, as Nishad had earlier received extended parole soon after his conviction. In November last year, a court sentenced Nishad and co-accused T.C. Nandakumar to 20 years of imprisonment for attacking police personnel using country-made bombs during a violent political clash.

Barely a month after being sent to prison, Nishad was granted parole for the first time. The parole period was subsequently extended multiple times, allowing him to remain outside jail for nearly 30 days. He eventually returned to prison in January this year.

Nishad’s case had attracted significant political and legal attention after he contested the December 2025 local body elections while in jail. Although he had been convicted after filing his nomination papers, Nishad went on to win a seat in the Payyannur Municipality, becoming one of the rare convicted prisoners to secure electoral victory while serving a sentence.

The repeated grant of parole to Nishad has continued to spark criticism from opposition parties and sections of the public, who question whether political influence played a role in the decisions. However, supporters of the DYFI leader have maintained that the paroles were granted on humanitarian grounds and through due legal process.

The case remains politically sensitive in Kerala, given Nishad’s active association with the CPI(M)-backed youth organisation DYFI and his continuing role in local politics despite imprisonment.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman