Kerala CPI-M law-maker sent to 14 days judicial custody

Kannur (Kerala): A court here Friday sent Communist Party of India-Marxist legislator James Mathew to 14 days judicial custodyfor abetting suicide of a school teacher.Mathew, a first time legislator representing Thaliparampa assembly constituency in Kannur district, was named as an accused in the case here.

E.P. Sasidharan, who was the headmaster of Tagore Vidyanikethan Higher Secondary School at Thaliparampa, hanged himself in a hotel room in Kasargode town Dec 14 last year. In his suicide note, Sasidharan blamed Mathew and fellow school teacher M.V.Shaji for his suicide.

Shaji, who was on the run since last week, surrendered before the police probe team and is already in judicial custody.On Friday morning, Mathew along with local leaders here arrived at the police station near here where the case was registered.After a few hours of questioning, police arrested Mathew and produced him before a local court which sent him to judicial custody.

Mathew, last week, had sought time to appear before the probe team after his petition for anticipatory bail was rejected by the Kerala High Court.Ahead of reporting before the police, Mathew told reporters that he was innocent and had done no wrong.