The controversy over the letter allegedly sent by Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Arya Rajendran to CPI-M district Secretary Anavoor Nagappan reached its logical conclusion as the Crime Branch wing of the Kerala Police, on Tuesday, registered a case in the matter.
In the letter, the mayor is purported to have sought a ‘priority list’ of candidates from the party for contractual appointments in the Corporation.
The crime branch registered the FIR under IPC sections 465 (forgery), 466 (falsification of official documents) and 469 (falsification of documents to disparage one’s status) on the mayor’s complaint.
Earlier, Kerala Police Chief Amilkanth had directed the state police to register a case and conduct a detailed investigation into the Thiruvananthapuram letter controversy involving the mayor.
The police chief ordered the probe following recommendations of a Crime Branch team that conducted a preliminary inquiry. Now, the case will be investigated by a new unit of the crime branch, sources said.
However, the crime branch has not been able to find the original copy of the letter in circulation in the name of Mayor Arya Rajendran. It has recommended that a case should be registered to find out who prepared and forged the signature of the mayor.
Meanwhile, Opposition Congress and BJP decided to intensify the protest within the corporation over the letter controversy. Congress and BJP leaders said they will continue the strike until the mayor resigns.
The Thiruvananthapuram mayor faces the allegation of seeking a list from the party to appoint 295 contract staff in the health wing of the city corporation.