BJP Councillor R. Sugathan's Arrest and Detention Sparks Political Crisis in Thiruvananthapuram
BJP councillor R. Sugathan was arrested under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act (KAAPA) for assaulting a local resident during a temple festival and attacking police. Despite brief police custody, no weapon was recovered. His bail was rejected, and a KAAPA advisory board upheld his six-month preventive detention. He faces 19 criminal cases, including attempted murder. A one-day interim bail allowed him to attend a swearing-in ceremony. His potential disqualification threatens the BJP's slim majority in the 101-member Thiruvananthapuram Corporation council.
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Kerala BJP councillor detained under KAAPA retakes oath inside prison in unprecedented move
In an unprecedented development, BJP councillor R. Sugathan, detained under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA), retook his oath of office inside Viyyur Central Prison in Thrissur on July 14, 2026. The ceremony followed a Kerala High Court order permitting the oath, with the court observing that the democratic mandate of the electorate could not be defeated by preventive detention. Sugathan was among 20 BJP councillors directed to retake their oath after violating the prescribed format by invoking local deities. He was unable to do so earlier due to his detention. Sugathan faces 19 criminal cases, including attempted murder and rioting. The oath-taking triggered sharp political reactions from the CPI(M) and Congress, who called it an embarrassment for the BJP. Despite taking the oath, Sugathan remains in detention and cannot attend council meetings; under the Kerala Municipality Act, absence from three consecutive meetings could lead to loss of membership.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.Kerala High Court Allows Detained BJP Councillor to Take Oath in Prison
The Kerala High Court on July 13, 2026, permitted R. Sugathan, a BJP councillor from Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, to take his oath of office inside Viyyur Central Prison. Sugathan is under a six-month preventive detention under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA). He was one of 20 BJP councillors ordered by the court to retake their oaths due to procedural violations (using names of local deities). While 19 councillors complied, Sugathan could not due to his detention. The court directed the prison superintendent to arrange the ceremony, with the Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram administering the oath at 11 a.m. on July 14. The court emphasized the need to uphold democracy, stating that a procedural lapse should not negate the people's mandate. Sugathan faces 19 criminal cases, including attempted murder and rioting.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.LDF and UDF Criticize BJP Councillor Sugathan's Oath-Taking Ceremony in Viyyur Jail
On July 13, 2026, political parties in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram criticized the BJP for holding the oath-taking ceremony of councillor R. Sugathan inside Viyyur Central Prison. Sugathan, a BJP councilor from Vazhottukonam ward, is under six-month preventive detention under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA). The Kerala High Court permitted the ceremony, citing the right of a public representative to take oath. LDF Parliamentary Party leader S.P. Deepak called the event an insult to city residents and an unprecedented incident in Kerala's history, accusing the BJP of disregarding democratic decency. UDF leader K.S. Sabarinadhan welcomed the court's view but noted it was a shame that a BJP-ruled municipality member cannot enter his own ward and must take oath 288 km away in prison.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.Kerala High Court Allows Detained BJP Councillor R. Sugathan to Take Oath in Prison
The Kerala High Court on Monday (July 13, 2026) permitted R. Sugathan, a BJP councillor from Thiruvananthapuram Corporation currently under six-month preventive detention under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA), to take his oath of office inside Viyyur Central Prison in Thrissur. The oath ceremony, scheduled for July 14, 2026, at 11 a.m., will be arranged by the prison superintendent and administered by the Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. Accredited media may attend. Sugathan was among 20 BJP councillors ordered by the High Court to retake oaths after violating procedure during the original ceremony by using names of local deities. While 19 councillors complied, Sugathan was unable to attend due to his detention. Police have registered 19 criminal cases against him, including attempted murder, rioting, criminal intimidation, and causing hurt.
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BJP councillor R. Sugathan, representing Ward 20 of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, has petitioned the Kerala High Court for permission to attend his re-swearing-in ceremony scheduled for July 14. This follows a Nedumangad Judicial First Class Magistrate court granting him one-day interim bail from 5 p.m. on July 13 to 9 p.m. on July 14 for the ceremony, but deferring the final decision to the High Court's verdict on his bail plea in a KAAPA case. Sugathan is one of 20 BJP councillors ordered by the High Court on June 24 to retake their oaths after violating norms by using local deities' names. While 19 others have already been sworn in, Sugathan remains detained at Viyyur Central Prison under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act. He alleges political motivation behind his detention. The KAAPA advisory board recently upheld his six-month preventive detention. Sugathan faces 19 criminal cases, including four attempted murder charges.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.KAAPA accused BJP councillor R. Sugathan granted one-day interim bail for swearing-in
A Nedumangad court in Kerala granted one-day interim bail to BJP councillor R. Sugathan, allowing him to attend a swearing-in ceremony on July 13-14, 2026. Sugathan is detained under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA) and is currently held at Viyyur Central Prison. The Kerala High Court had ordered 20 BJP councillors to retake their oaths after violating norms by using names of local deities; 19 complied, but Sugathan could not due to his detention. The KAAPA advisory board recently upheld his six-month preventive detention. Sugathan has a criminal history with 19 cases, including four attempted murder charges. His swearing-in remains uncertain pending the High Court's verdict on his bail plea, and his potential disqualification threatens the BJP's majority in the 101-member Thiruvananthapuram Corporation council, where the BJP holds 50 seats plus one Independent supporter.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.BJP Councillor R. Sugathan's Preventive Detention Upheld by KAAPA Board
R. Sugathan, a BJP councillor in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, suffered a major setback as the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA) advisory board upheld his six-month preventive detention. The board rejected his plea to revoke the order, confirming he will remain in custody. Sugathan faces 19 criminal cases, including four for attempted murder, and is listed on a police rowdy history sheet. He is currently lodged in Viyyur Central Jail and is barred from entering Thiruvananthapuram district during detention. His next legal option is to approach the Kerala High Court. If he fails to secure relief, he risks losing his position as councillor under the Kerala Municipality Act for missing three consecutive council meetings. The detention also deals a political blow to the BJP-led administration, which holds a slender majority in the 101-member council.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.Court Rejects Bail Plea of BJP Councillor R. Sugathan
A Nedumangad Court in Kerala rejected the bail plea of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation councillor and BJP leader R. Sugathan on Saturday. The pleas were filed in connection with cases involving an assault on a local resident at Vellaikadavu Junction and an attack on police officials who attempted to arrest him under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA). The Magistrate Court-II in Nedumangad turned down both pleas, and Sugathan will remain in the Central Prison in Viyyur under KAAPA detention. Sugathan faces a total of 12 cases, including charges of attempted murder, assault on police, intimidation, and destruction of property. His arrest and the subsequent legal proceedings have sparked a major political controversy within the BJP-ruled Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.BJP Councillor R. Sugathan's Police Custody Ends Without Evidence Collection
BJP councillor R. Sugathan of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation was returned to judicial custody after a brief police custody period failed to yield any evidence. The Nedumangad Judicial First Class Magistrate Court granted police custody for nearly four hours to recover the weapon allegedly used in a temple festival assault. However, the investigation team reported that Sugathan did not cooperate and refused to disclose the weapon's location. Sugathan complained of police harassment during a medical examination, prompting the court to record his allegations and transfer custody supervision. He is also accused of attacking police personnel in a separate case. The court ordered him back to Viyyur Central Prison.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.Thiruvananthapuram BJP Councillor R. Sugathan Remanded to Police Custody in Temple Assault Case
A local court in Nedumangad, Thiruvananthapuram, granted police custody of BJP councillor R. Sugathan until 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday (July 1, 2026) to recover the weapon allegedly used in an assault during a temple festival at Vellaikadavu. Sugathan, arrested under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act (KAAPA), faces two criminal cases: one for the temple assault and another for attacking police personnel. He was brought from Viyyur Central Prison and claimed police harassment during transport. The court sought clarification on who accompanied him for a medical exam. Heavy security was deployed as BJP workers gathered outside the court. Sugathan faces a total of 19 criminal cases.
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