Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala expresses displeasure over letter from his department which aided KAAPA-accused BJP councillor to secure leave

The letter from the Home department which was used by Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V.V. Rajesh to grant leave to KAAPA accused BJP councillor R. Sugathan | Photo Credit: Special arrangement Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has expressed displeasure at a letter from the Home department which was used by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Thiruvananthapuram Corporation administration to secure six months of leave to BJP councillor R. Sugathan, who was arrested under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA) and currently lodged at the high-security correctional facility at Viyyur Central Prison in Thrissur in Kerala.Congress councillor K.S. Sabarinadhan told The Hindu that he had met the Home Minister after the council meeting on Friday when the Minister said that his office was unaware of such a letter originating from the department. The department will look into how such a politically sensitive letter was sent out without the clearance of the Minister’s office.The letter, dated July 20, 2026 and signed by an Under Secretary on behalf of the Additional Chief Secretary, was sent to Mr. Sugathan in response to his request for an escort parole to take part in the council meeting on Friday. Having missed two council meeting already, he stood a chance to be disqualified if he missed one more meeting.Though the government rejected the request, the letter further goes on to detail ways in which he can avoid disqualification. It suggests him to submit a leave letter to the council through the Jail Superintendent. Further, it says that if the council approves this request through voting, his councillor post will be “safe.”In the council meeting on Friday, as soon as the United Democratic Front (UDF) and Left Democratic Front (LDF) councillors rose up in protest when Mr. Sugathan’s request was taken up, Mayor V.V. Rajesh held up the letter and told the UDF councillors to listen to what their own government is saying. The issue has come as a major embarrassment for the Congress as the LDF has pointed to the letter as yet another instance of a Congress-BJP understanding. Published - July 31, 2026 08:24 pm IST