TRIVANDRUM, 2 April 2006 — A 16-year-old case of forgery has returned to haunt the Left Democratic Front candidate in Trivandrum West, Antony Raju (Kerala Congress-Joseph). In 1990, Australian Andrew Salvador Servelli was picked up from the airport for hiding hashish in the inner pockets of his underwear. A court, however, acquitted him after his lawyers argued that the main piece of evidence (underwear) was too small for their client to wear. Raju, a lawyer, was the assistant counsel for Servelli. Arrested in a murder case in Australia, Servelli recently admitted to the police that he had heavily bribed court clerks in India. The Interpol passed on the information to India and it was found that a court clerk had handed over the underwear to Raju for a while. Forensic officials found fresh stitches and the thread used was of a different color. The size came down 50 cm from 90 cm.
Convicted Ex-Minister in the Fray
It is election time and former State Transport Minister Neelalohithadasan Nadar (Janata Dal-Secular), convicted in two sexual harassment cases, is back in the fray. Nadar is facing one-year imprisonment for sexually assaulting senior administrator Nalini Netto, now chief election officer, and another three months’ jail for harassing forest officer Prakruti Srivastava. He retains his Kovalam constituency, famous for its beach resort.
Many women’s organizations have threatened to campaign against him while LDF convener Paloli Mohammed Kutty said the JD-S would be asked to reconsider its decision. Hugely popular among his backward Nadar community, he had won the seat four times in a row.
PDP Support for LDF
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of jailed cleric Abdunnasar Ma’dani has declared its support to LDF candidates in all the 140 constituencies of the state. PDP candidates had cornered 3,000 to 8,000 votes in at least 10 constituencies in the elections held in 1996, during the height of his popularity. In 1998, during the LDF rule, the government arrested him on charges of making provocative speeches and handed him over to the Tamil Nadu police who booked him for the serial blasts in Coimbatore that killed 58 people.
He was listed as a conspirator and was lodged in jail for the past eight years awaiting trial. The trial is expected to be completed later this year.
Chandy to Walk Without Support
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who hit the campaign trail last week, said he would be walking without support as the campaigning heats up. “I have recovered from the hip-neck fracture and am undergoing some rehabilitation therapy,” Chandy said. Early this year, he slipped on ice in Davos and has since been put on a walker. He started using a stick two weeks ago. However, his opponent in Puthuppally, firebrand student leader Sindhu Joy, would continue to walk with the support of a stick. She hurt her left leg in police action during a violent strike. She suffered another blow yesterday when a court here denied anticipatory bail in five cases registered against her for destruction of public properties and indecent behavior during student strikes.
