Remarks against Chandy: Police raids actor Vinayakan’s house; seizes phone

KOCHI: Police on Saturday raided the house of Malayalam actor Vinayakan and seized his phone in connection with a case against him over his recent unpleasant remarks on late former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

A team of police personnel, attached to the North Police station here, raided the award-winning actor’s apartment at Kaloor in the heart of the city as part of collecting evidence.

“We raided his apartment and interrogated him. His phone was also seized,” a senior police officer told PTI.

Though he was summoned to record his statement on Friday, he didn’t turn up.

The actor was booked under IPC Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 297 for humiliating a person who is no more and under Kerala Police Act Section 120 (O) (causing a nuisance of himself to any person through any means of communication), the officer added.

In a viral Facebook video on Wednesday, the actor asked “who is this Oommen Chandy?” and “why three days’ mourning had been declared in the state on his demise.” The ‘Kammatti Padam’ actor also criticised the media for the wide coverage given to the procession carrying his mortal remains to his home village Puthuppally in Kottayam district.

Following social media outrage and widespread criticism from various quarters, Vinayakan later withdrew the video from his Facebook account.

Condemning his distasteful remarks against Chandy, the Congress on Thursday lodged a police complaint against the actor seeking action.

However, the former chief minister’s son Chandy Oommen requested authorities not to register a case against the actor over the remarks.

Chandy, who served as the chief minister of Kerala twice, breathed his last in a private hospital in Bengaluru on Tuesday. His end came while undergoing treatment for cancer, party sources said. He was 79.