Arrest Madani, wife: BJP

The Kerala BJP unit on Thursday asked the Government to arrest PDP chairman Abdul Nasser Madani and his wife Sufiya in the context of the arrest of Muhammad Abdul Halim of Kannur, accused in several terror cases including the twin blasts at Kozhikode in March 2006. The party raised the demand for the arrest of Madani and his wife as Halim was a former PDP activist and reportedly a personal security guard of the PDP chairman.

State BJP president PK Krishnadas alleged that Madani and Sufiya had connection with Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Tayyeba, whose operative Halim was. He said that Madani had links with Abdul Sattar alias Sainuddeen aka Sattar Bahi, who had escaped action by security forces in Kashmir. Sainuddeen was presently in the custody of the Karnataka Police for his alleged involvement in the Bangalore blasts.

Krishnadas said that Sainuddeen was a regular visitor to Madani’s place and that he had celebrated hi birthday at the PDP chairman’s residence. The police had learned that Sufiya Madani was in charge of the studies of Sainuddeen’s daughter, The Kochi police had earlier got witness statements to the effect that Sainuddeen’s daughter had attended the preparatory school in Kochi staying at Madani’s place when he was in prison in Coimbatore.

The BJP leader also pointed out that Sufiya Madani had played a vital role in the burning of the Tamil Nadu state bus at Kalamassery off Kochi on September 9, 2005. An accused in the case had earlier told the police that Sufiya had planned, funded and got executed the bus-burning as an act of vengeance for torturing her husband in the Coimbatore prison. A court had on April 1 ordered a probe against her in connection with these reports.

“That Madani and his wife have connection with LeT is obvious from these facts,” Krishnadas said. Their arrest is necessary to for cutting off the main root of the terror acts in Kerala as manifested in the bomb blasts and other terror operations,” the BJP leader said.

He alleged that the two main political fronts, the Congress-led Opposition UDF and the CPI(M)-led ruling LDF were avoiding action in the matter and playing games of votebank politics. He added that Left leaders including CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat would not have spoken against the PDP and its chairman if the Left had won the elections.

Meanwhile, the State committee meeting of the BJP would be held at Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta district for three days from Friday. About 125 representatives including the national executive members from Kerala would participate in the meeting. The items on the agenda of the conference would include analysis of the Lok Sabha polls, organizational election, membership distribution, the prevailing political situation, etc.

National leaders like Balbir Punj, Indrasena Reddy and V Satish would participate in the conclave. The meeting of the State office-bearers of the party would take place at 10.00 am Friday and the State committee meeting would be held at 11.00 am on Saturday.