TRIVANDRUM, 4 October — Controversial legislator Sobhana George, accused in an intelligence document fabrication case, was admitted to hospital yesterday after collapsing in court.
Police arrested George, an MLA of the Congress party that leads Kerala’s ruling United Democratic Front (UDF), and produced her in court after a brief interrogation.
Chief Judicial Magistrate N.J. Jose remanded her to judicial custody for a fortnight. She can now challenge the detention in the same or a higher court.
The intelligence document was allegedly forged to link Tourism and Fisheries Minister Professor K.V. Thomas to a Rs.3.36 billion money laundering case.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Crime Branch arrested George, the third accused in the case, at her residence in the city at 1.50 p.m. She was taken to court where she collapsed and was rushed to hospital. The CJM went to the hospital to complete remand formalities.
The case came to light after Surya satellite TV station telecast a story in June showing a copy of the document implicating Thomas. Chief Minister A.K. Antony ordered a police probe alleging that the forgery was part of a conspiracy to dislodge his government.
A totally rattled George was accompanied to court by her mother, husband Isaac George and daughter Remya. There were uproarious scenes in the court while she was being taken to hospital. However, none of her party leaders or activists was in sight to lend her support.
Other defendants in the criminal conspiracy case are Surya TV reporter Anil Nambiar, George’s personal assistant Anil P. Srirangam, who was arrested last week, and local journalist R. Jayachandran. Police issued a "lookout" notice after Jayachandran went into hiding and moved the High Court for anticipatory bail.
George, a prominent follower of dissident senior Congress leader K. Karunakaran, was totally isolated as the case evolved and she was issued a show-cause notice by state Congress President and Karunakaran’s son K. Muraleedharan.
Sobhana told reporters immediately after her arrest that said she would prove her innocence in court. Repeating that she was not involved in the forgery, Sobhana regretted critical statements she had made recently against some party leaders.
Sobhana had come down heavily on the chief minister and demanded that he give up his home portfolio because of his inept handling of the police department. She also alleged that police investigation against her in the forgery case was a deliberate attempt to mar her political career.
SIT has hinted at the possibility of charging more people for their roles in the forgery case. Seafood exporter K.C. Babu, one of the possible targets, has moved a local court in Calicut for anticipatory bail. SIT’s efforts to force Babu to take a lie-detection test did not materialize after it was found that he was in touch with the doctor in Bangalore who was to conduct the polygraph test. Besides Babu, SIT has taken statements of his auditor, family members and a few journalists.
