Kochi: Kerala police has intensified its crackdown on online news media ‘Marunadan Malayai’ and its chief Shajan Skariah. In a case registered against Shajan Skariah by Elamakkara police, widespread raids have been conducted at the Marunadan Malayali’s offices. The raid also extended in to the houses of the employees’ of the news portal. Computers, laptops, phones, and cameras have been confiscated from the offices and also from the employees’ houses.
Shajan Skariah is a notable critic of the communist party and the government. His media house shot to fame after he began releasing videos on controversial issues that most media houses in Kerala refuse to publish. He is also a strong critic of fundamental Islamists and their jihadi agenda and has been instrumental in educating the public of anti-national activities by these groups.
This has naturally earned the wrath of the communist government which has been trying to bring down the independent media house run by Shajan Skariah.
The government in a bid to silence the journalist had slapped a case under SC/ST act for a video he did against MLA of Kunnathunad constituency, PV Sreenijin.
The police raided the offices and the houses of employees searching for Shajan Skariah. The police confiscated 29 computers, cameras, memory cards etc from its office at Pattom in Thiruvananthapuram. They also raided the houses of the employees. Last week also the police had raided the office and seized four hard disks.
The police had also raided the homes of Shajan Skariah’s relatives ostensibly to find if he was hiding there. However, it is believed to be an intimidation tactic to bring the journalist to his knees.
Shajan Skariah has approached the Supreme Court for anticipatory bail. The police raids at Marunadan Malayali’s offices and the houses of the firm’s employees have attracted widespread criticisms.
It is to be noted that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has earlier spoken in support of UAPA accused journalist Sidheeq Kappan. His charges were serious such as sedition and trying to promote enmity between different religions.
Compared to Sidheeq Kappan, the Marunadan Malayali’s chief Shajan Skariah’s charges are not serious or anti-national in nature.
Moreover, the state recently witnessed how a former SFI leader, K Vidya, was able to avoid police arrest for more than two weeks for forging experience certificates to gain employment. The police did not bother to raid her relatives’ house to find the whereabouts of Vidya.
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