Relief for BJP as HC quashes KAAPA detention of BJP councilor R Sugathan

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court quashed the order of the district collector imposing Kerala Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act (KAAPA) against BJP councillor R Sugathan of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. His detention had caused a severe crisis for the ruling BJP in the corporation. The court proceedings have brought a great relief to the BJP now. In the wake of the high court verdict, Sugathan will be released from the Viyyur Central Jail soon.

Sugathan is one who is in the rowdy list of Vattiyoorkavu police. He is an accused in several cases, including an attempted culpable homicide case for allegedly hitting a person on the head with a stone on August 25, 2019, a case registered on July 20, 2023, for allegedly trespassing into another person’s house and vandalising the house and vehicles, and a case dated July 17, 2023, in which he entered a woman’s house and assaulted her as retaliation against her husband.

He is also an accused in a 2025 case involving the assault of a youth following a business dispute, in which an attempted culpable homicide charge was registered. On July 25, 2025, he threatened a judicial officer over non-payment of money to a security employee. On February 2, 2026, he threatened employees of a children’s home and disrupted its inaugural function.

Despite these cases being pending, the BJP fielded Sugathan as its candidate from Vazhottukonam in the last local body elections. He won by a substantial majority.
Sugathan taking the oath as a councillor inside jail while being detained under a KAAPA case had grabbed headlines. It was the first time in Kerala’s history that an elected representative took the oath of office inside a prison.

Sugathan is being released from jail while police were investigating a complaint filed by the LDF alleging that his attendance register had been forged with his signature on days when he did not attend the corporation council meetings during his imprisonment.