A managing editor of a local daily, which carried reports on land deals by a leader of Kerala's ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist's youth front, was on Friday arrested on charges of attempt to murder a day after the office of the newspaper came under attack.
Aravindan Manikoth, managing editor of the daily Latest, refuted the charge against him saying he was being falsely implicated in the case.
He was arrested under IPC Section 307 following a complaint from one Siddhique who alleged he suffered injuries in his legs after Manikoth's son Bobby fired on him at the instance of his father who chased him in their car near the daily's office in Kanhangad, Hosdurg circle inspector V Madhusoodanan told PTI.
While his son was absconding, both the pistol and the car were impounded, he said adding the Editor was being produced before a court here, Madusoodanan said.
Manikoth admitted his son and wife had 'fired in the air' from a licensed pistol in his wife's name as the unidentified persons targeted them while attacking the daily's office on Thursday night.
Later, his wife and son chased the attackers in their car and again 'fired in the air' at Kallanchira, about three km from the daily's Kovvalpally office, Manikoth said.
Madusoodanan said the case was registered after they received complaints from Siddhique alleging Manikoth himself had disembarked from his car and fired on the complainant, who was later admitted to hospital here after sustaining bullet injuries in his legs.
Madusoodanan said he had visited the district hospital and elicited information about the incident from Siddhique, who was also taken to the site where the alleged incident took place on Friday evening before arresting Manikoth.
Manikoth alleged his daily's office was attacked by unidentified persons smashing the winow glassplanes, signboard and gate lights, apparently due to series of reports exposing 'shady' land deals involving a DYFI state leader and land mafia to grab a key landed property vested with Kanhangad Municipal Corporation.
He alleged a group of DYFI activists prevented distribution of the newspapers from the office on Friday and sought police protection.
