Kerala Congress workers stopped police vehicle to confront YouTuber who ‘defamed’ party leader, video shows

Sreenadevi denied threatening Rajan, saying she had gone to the police station as the complainant in the case. (File)

CCTV footage from a Kerala police station has triggered a political row, with visuals purportedly showing Congress workers confronting a YouTuber who was in police custody. The footage has prompted the Opposition Communist Party of India (Marxist) to accuse the ruling Congress of intimidation.

The footage purportedly shows Congress workers confronting YouTuber Rajan Joseph, who was arrested on July 11 for allegedly uploading defamatory videos of Congress leader and Pathanamthitta district panchayat member Sreenadevi Kunjamma, at the Adoor police station in the district. The CCTV footage, obtained through an RTI application by CPI(M) Adoor area secretary S Manoj, also purportedly shows Congress workers intercepting a police vehicle carrying Rajan from Ernakulam to the station, with some appearing to move towards him.

The footage also purportedly shows Sreenadevi arriving at the police station after Rajan was arrested. Accompanied by police personnel, she is seen approaching the lock-up and standing in front of it. The visuals appear to show her addressing Rajan, though the footage does not establish what was said.

CPI(M) leader Manoj told the media on Saturday that the incident reflected what he described as the ruling Congress’s hooliganism. “We don’t support the defamatory videos or comments against anyone. At the same time, none should create a terror scene at a police station,” he said, accusing the police of remaining mute spectators.

Sreenadevi denied threatening Rajan, saying she had gone to the police station as the complainant in the case.

“I have not threatened the person at the lock-up. I had just asked him whether he was fine. As a complainant in the issue, I was told to identify the arrested person. Hence, I went there. I have not threatened him,” she said. She added that she had filed several complaints against Joseph under the Left Democratic Front regime, but “the police did not take any action”.