Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 3 (IANS) Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan on Saturday launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) following the conviction of former minister and present legislator Antony Raju in the thondimuthal (material evidence) tampering case, alleging that the government has consistently acted to protect accused persons.

Antony Raju served as the State Transport Minister from May 2021 till December 2024, after which he resigned as part of an arrangement to make way for K.B. Ganesh Kumar.

On Saturday evening, the Nedumangad Judicial First Class Magistrate Court sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment in the thondimuthal (material evidence) tampering case.

Satheesan said the Opposition had earlier warned on the floor of the Assembly that Antony Raju, an accused in a serious criminal case, should not be appointed as a minister.

“Despite being fully aware that Antony Raju was an accused, Pinarayi Vijayan went ahead and made him a minister,” Satheesan said.

He described the case as extremely grave, pointing out that it involved the manipulation of material evidence to help a foreign national arrested for smuggling narcotics concealed in his underwear escape punishment.

According to Satheesan, the underwear produced as material evidence was illegally taken from court custody, altered and tampered with as part of a conspiracy to mislead the court.

“It is shocking that someone accused in such a serious offence was retained as a minister for two-and-a-half years, even after the Opposition strongly objected,” he said.

He added that the subsequent case for destruction of evidence was registered only after the court itself developed doubts following the acquittal of the foreign accused.

“Protecting the accused is exactly what the LDF and the CPI(M) have been doing, and they continue to do so even now,” Satheesan alleged.

He also accused the CPI(M) of shielding accused persons who are currently in jail in the Sabarimala gold smuggling case, claiming that the latest verdict once again proves that the government acts as a protective cover for those involved in corruption and crime.

Earlier in the day, Antony Raju was found guilty, and the sentence was delivered in the evening.

However, the court granted bail to the two accused, as they have been given a month’s time to approach higher courts, if they so desire.

With the sentence exceeding two years, Antony Raju stands disqualified from the Kerala Legislative Assembly and will also be barred from contesting future elections, in line with settled Supreme Court rulings.

Even if a higher court grants a stay on the sentence, the disqualification will continue unless the conviction itself is set aside.

--IANS

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