Thushar Vellapally arrested in UAE, CM asks EA minister to intervene

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Thushar Vellapally, the president of Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), a coalition partner of the BJP-led NDA in Kerala, has been arrested at Ajman in UAE in connection with a Rs 19 crore cheque bouncing case.

According to media reports, a complaint from N Abdulla, a Thrissur native, in a Rs 19 crore cheque case of 2009 when Vellapally was running a construction business in Ajman led to the arrest. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, asking him to intervene in the matter. In the copy of the letter which was released to the local media, Vijayan expressed his concern about Thushar Vellapally's well being and health.

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"News channels have reported the arrest of Shri Thushar Vellapally, Vice President of Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) yogam at Ajman in United Arab Emirates. I express concern about his well-being and health while in custody. All possible help within the limits of law needs to be made available to him. I request your kind personal attention and intervention in this regard", Vijayan reportedly said in the letter.

Thushar Vellapally had contested as the NDA candidate from Wayanad in the Lok Sabha elections in April 23 this year, against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, where the latter had emerged victorious by a huge margin. He is also the Vice President of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, a prominent organisation of the backward Ezhava community in Kerala.

With inputs from PTI

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