Kerala: Police raids Congress leaders' hotel, looking for 'black money'

A Kerala Police raid on a hotel in Palakkad where several Congress leaders were staying on the night of Tuesday, 5 November has sparked protest and widespread resentment. The police claimed the operation was in search of alleged black money, but found no evidence to support the accusation.

The raid began at around 12.15 am and lasted into the early hours of Wednesday. A large team from both the North and South police stations arrived at the hotel, where Congress leaders, including Shanimol Usman and Bindu Krishna, were staying. The police stated that no black money was recovered during the search.

In response to the raid, UDF's Palakkad candidate Rahul Mamkoottathil went live on Facebook early on Wednesday morning, clarifying his whereabouts and addressing the allegations. Speaking from Kozhikode at around 2.30 am, he refuted claims linking him to the alleged black money scandal.

“BJP and CPM supporters are spreading rumours that Congress leaders arrived at a hotel in Palakkad with trolley bags full of money,” Mamkoottathil said. “They’re even claiming I was dropped off with a trolley bag at the hotel. However, I am here in Kozhikode. My trolley bag contains only clothes for two days. I came here to meet Kanthapuram Ustad." The last is in reference to the tenth and current grand mufti of India and the general-secretary of both All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama and Samastha Kerala Jemiyyathul Ulama of AP Sunnis.

Mamkoottathil also discussed the search of Congress leaders’ rooms. “All the Congress leaders cooperated and opened their rooms. The only delay came from Shanimol Usman, who requested that female officers be present before her room was searched, as she was staying alone.

"Once they arrived, she permitted the search, and no evidence was found. This is just another example of the CPI(M)-BJP alliance at work. The CPM claims to have searched BJP leaders’ rooms, while BJP says they searched CPI(M) leaders’ rooms. Why does the BJP have no issue with the search of CPI(M) leaders' rooms, and vice versa? If someone can walk into a hotel with a trolley bag full of money, then where is the police’s role in this?”

The police action, which targeted the rooms of Congress women leaders in the politically sensitive Palakkad constituency, has caused significant controversy. Officers, including those in plainclothes, carried out the searches on suspicion that black money was being hidden. However, assistant commissioner of police Aswathy Jiji later explained that the searches were part of routine election-related checks.

Shanimol Usman and Bindu Krishna, two of the leaders involved, claimed their personal belongings were tossed about carelessly during the raid. Usman, in particular, said the search was only carried out after she insisted on having a female officer present.

"This was a gross overreach by the police," Usman said. "I’ve been in politics for over 30 years, and this action was a direct attack on my dignity as a woman. At midnight, I heard knocking at my door, and when I opened it, there were four male officers demanding that I open up. I quickly changed and came out, but when I asked to see the officers' identification, they refused. A female officer eventually searched me, and they emptied my room, including all my clothes. They even searched the bathroom and under the bed. I asked for a written record of the search, but I received no clear response."

Bindu Krishna also voiced her outrage. “I was asleep when I heard shouting outside my room. When I woke up, I saw police officers ringing my doorbell. My husband and I were in the room, and the officers barged in. They inspected four bags and threw our clothes out. After the search, I requested a written statement confirming that nothing was found. This is a blatant conspiracy and a complete denial of justice,” she said.

Congress MPs V.K. Sreekandan and Shafi Parambil arrived at the hotel to protest the actions, alleging that the raid was orchestrated by the CPI(M) and BJP with the assistance of the police. Meanwhile, CPI(M) leaders, including Rajya Sabha MP A.A. Raheem and BJP candidate C. Krishnakumar, also arrived at the scene, pushing for further raids.

In response, the Congress announced plans for a protest march to the SP’s office at 11.00 am on Wednesday.

Jiji defended the actions of the police, stating that the searches were conducted within the law. "The police had full legal authority to carry out the searches," she explained. "In urgent situations, a woman can be asked to step out of a room, and it is not mandatory for female officers to be present during every search. The women leaders initially expressed reluctance, so the search was carried out once a female officer arrived."

Jiji further clarified, “There were no obstructions to the search, and a list of the inspected items was provided. In total, 12 rooms were inspected, including those of leaders from various political parties. If any complaints are made, the CCTV footage from the hotel will be reviewed.”