No probe against Kerala MLA who 'freed' man from forest dept custody: Minister

Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Forests Minister A K Saseendran on Saturday said that his department was not going to carry out any investigation into CPI(M) MLA K U Jenish Kumar's recent act of allegedly forcing release of a man in custody of forest officials in connection with the electrocution of a wild elephant.

The minister said that no department in the government has any authority to order an investigation against the MLA.

With regard to the complaint to the police by a Forest Range Officer against Kumar accusing the MLA of threatening him, Saseendran said that he came to know unofficially that an FIR was registered based on it.

"But the police cannot take any further steps without the sanction of the State Assembly Speaker," he told a TV channel here.

At the same time, he also said that neither he nor the department have taken any decision on whether to interfere with the Range Officer's complaint.

Regarding the recent criticism of forest officials by CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan at a press conference held here, the minister said the Left veteran's remarks must be based on some information he has received.

"I will seriously examine the suggestions that have come from him (Govindan)," Saseendran said.

The elephant was found dead at a pineapple plantation in an area under the jurisdiction of the Padam Forest Station in the Konni Nadvathummoozhy range.

Forest officials had taken a man for questioning after suspecting that high-voltage current from a solar fence installed on farmland leased for pineapple cultivation had caused the elephant's death.

Upon learning of the detention, the Konni MLA had arrived at the Padam forest office and confronted the officials and demanded the man's release, which was eventually granted.

Video footage from the scene has since emerged and according to it, the MLA had allegedly shouted at and threatened the officials.

During the confrontation, he had reportedly removed the man from Forest Department custody by force.

In the footage aired by news channels, the MLA was heard angrily questioning the officials: "Are you arresting innocent people on false charges? Don't abuse your authority. Are you even human? Was this detention lawful? Where is the arrest report?"

He had also warned the officials, claiming, "The Naxalites will return".

Kumar had later defended his actions, claiming that he had intervened after learning that a migrant worker had been unfairly detained by forest officials over the death of the elephant.