The Kerala High Court, on Wednesday, restrained the police from arresting Twenty20 party leader Sabu M Jacob and five other accused in a case registered by Kerala police under the Schedule Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act based on a complaint filed by CPI-M legislator P V Sreenijin.

A single bench of Justice Kauser Edappagath granted the interim  protection from  arrest to Sabu M Jacob and his five party colleagues and directed them to appear before the investigating officers upon receiving notice.

“Considering the entire facts and circumstances of the case, I am of the view that the investigation has to be proceeded with. However, the arrest of petitioners does not appear to be necessary for the time being,” said the judge.

The Court further said that the investigating officers should not harass the petitioners, and posted the case for further consideration immediately after the Court’s upcoming Christmas vacation.

The order was passed on a petition filed by Sabu M Jacob, coordinator of the Twenty20 party, and five other members of the party, to quash the FIR registered against them under Sections 3(1)(r) and (u) of the SC/ST Act.

An FIR was filed on receiving a complaint by CPI-M leader and MLA, PV Sreenijin, alleging humiliation on grounds of caste by the members of the Twenty20 party on various occasions and events.

Sreenijin in his complaint alleged that  Sabu Jacob and his party directed the members of a Panchayat to not share the stage with him in programs conducted in the constituency. He said that the accused insulted him by walking out off the stage when he was about to inaugurate a meeting at Aikaranad.

In their petition, Sabu Jacob and other Twenty20 party members said that Sreenijin has filed complaint to wreck vengeance against them.The petitioners submitted that even if the FIR is taken at face value it does not make out a case against the petitioners as the complaint does not disclose the essential ingredients of the offenses under sections 3(1)(r) and (u) of the SC/ST Act.

Sabu Jacob, an industrialist ,is also the chief coordinator of Twenty20, a local political outfit in the Ernakulam district.