By TCN Staff Reporter,
Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Judicial Magistrate court granted bail to Advocate Shanavas who has been accused of conspiracy in leaking the official details of Kerala police to Madhyamam weekly regarding the Muslim specific Cyber surveillance. The scoop by Viju V Nair in the Madhyamam weekly, regarding the Police intelligence’s attempt to brand innocent Muslims as terrorists, by associating them with SIMI and by asking the Police high tech cell to collect their login information had earlier turned a big controversy in the state.
Earlier Adv Shanavas was presented before the court and on the request of the investigation team, he was sent under police custody for seven days. As the custodial period lasted yesterday, the investigation team made all efforts to deny bail to him seeking extension of his custodial period. Prosecution accused him of having links with SIMI and told the court that there are chances that he might influence the witnesses, if granted with bail.
Shanavas’s advocates argued that there is no proof to link him with SIMI. He has appeared for the organisation in courts and that doesn’t mean he is linked to SIMI, the advocates said. The advocates sought court’s attention to the fact that the investigation team is still not able to submit any documents or evidences regarding his involvement in the case.
The court asked him to pay a bond of Rs 50,000 and was asked to present once in a month before the investigative officers for next two months as conditions for granting bail.
SI Biju Salim, a Muslim Police officer too was earlier arrested, being accused of helping Viju V Nair. Shanavas is alleged to have conspired with him and Viju for leaking the official details. Shanavas being an eminent advocate and human right activist was working on the SIMI ban and had appeared before the tribunal hearing the case earlier. The time chosen for his arrest has raised further doubts regarding whether it was an intentional attempt from the part of the authorities to weaken SIMI’s prospects before the Delhi High Court Tribunal which visited Kerala last week. Adv Shanavas was arrested a day before the tribunal’s sitting here in Thiruvananthapuram last week.