Three CPI(M) leaders including DYFI leader PA Muhammad Riyas have been remanded to judicial custody by a Kozhikode court on Tuesday. Riyas is the national president of the Democratic Youth Federation of India or DYFI (youth wing of the CPI(M). He is also married to Veena Thayikkandiyil, businesswoman and daughter of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Apart from Riyas, Kalliasseri MLA TV Rajesh and KK Dinesh, another party leader have been remanded by the Kozhikode Chief Judicial Magistrate in Kozhikode.
They were remanded to judicial custody in connection with a 2016 protest against Air India for cancelling flights and hiking air fare. Back in 2016, the DYFI had led a March to the Air India Kozhikode office, protesting against the air carrier’s austerity measures. The March led to violence and the Kozhikode police registered a case against the three of them.
The court has now ordered the judicial remand of the accused. Earlier, all the three accused men had secured bails for the case.
According to reports, the three accused approached the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kozhikode to get their bail extended. This as per the directions of the Kerala High Court to get the bail extended by the trial court. However, the judicial first class magistrate P Vinod instead of extending their bail, sent them to judicial remand.
The Kerala High Court has further directed the accused to appear before the trial court and the trial court to take an appropriate decision after carefully considering the case.
Another DYFI member too was accused in the case. However he was not present before the court on Tuesday. DYFI leader KK Dinesan too has been remanded to judicial custody until March 16.