Thiruvananthapuram, 10 August (H.S.): Kerala Police have formally recorded the arrest of RSS sympathiser T.G. Mohandas in connection with allegedly abusive and inflammatory remarks directed at students who staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
The Thiruvananthapuram Cyber Police, which is investigating the case, also seized Mohandas’s laptop and mobile phone as part of the probe. Four charges, including an allegation related to incitement to violence, have been invoked against him.
Investigators have reportedly decided not to seek his custodial interrogation. Mohandas, who was taken into custody in Kochi, was brought to the Cyber Police Station in Thiruvananthapuram after completing the necessary legal formalities and medical examination. He is expected to be produced before a court around 11 a.m. on Monday.
A Cyber Police team from Thiruvananthapuram took Mohandas into custody from his residence at Cheralai in Mattancherry on Sunday. He was subsequently transported to the State capital during the night.
The case stems from controversial comments allegedly made by Mohandas about students protesting at Jantar Mantar. He had reportedly said that the protesters should be shot dead. Videos containing the remarks, which also allegedly included abusive and derogatory language against the students, triggered widespread criticism.
AIYF State secretary T.T. Jismon was among the first to lodge a complaint against Mohandas. Several others subsequently approached the authorities seeking action over the comments.
Police initially faced criticism over what complainants described as a delay in initiating proceedings. Questions were raised after Mohandas was neither summoned for questioning nor arrested immediately following the complaints.
The Cyber Police eventually registered a case on July 29, three days after complaints were received. The investigation is now focusing on the circumstances surrounding the publication and circulation of the videos and the electronic evidence recovered from Mohandas.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
