Minister Jeneesh' Claim Collapses as Ernakulam District Committee Confirms MDMA Case Accused Was Youth Congress Leader

Kochi: The claim by Youth Congress state president and minister O J Jeneesh that Muhammad Hussain, the Chief Minister’s social media coordinator arrested in the Kasaragod MDMA case, was not a Youth Congress leader has fallen apart. The Ernakulam district committee confirmed that Hussain had been a Youth Congress office-bearer, exposing the state president’s claim as false. Hussain, who has now been arrested, had served as the social media coordinator of Chief Minister V D Satheesan. The district committee also said that Hussain, who had been an office-bearer of the Arakkappady Valiyakulam unit, was expelled from the organisation.

Jeneesh had defended the position that Hussain was not a Youth Congress office-bearer after his arrest in the Kasaragod MDMA case. However, the Ernakulam district committee explanation regarding his expulsion makes it clear that Hussain had been a unit office-bearer of the Youth Congress.

The district committee also issued a press statement announcing Hussain’s expulsion from the organisation. The statement said action was taken on the same day when he was arrested. This has raised questions over the state leadership’s explanation denying any organisational connection immediately after the arrest.

Earlier, the DCC leadership had maintained that it did not know the arrested persons. However, with the district committee itself confirming that Hussain had been a Youth Congress office-bearer, contradictory explanations from the Congress leadership have emerged.

There are also allegations that Hussain was expelled only after visuals of him with the Chief Minister surfaced. Several photographs and videos of the accused with the Chief Minister are widely circulating. This has intensified discussions over the Congress leadership’s explanations regarding the political links of the accused in the drug case.

Information emerging from the case also indicates that various cases are pending against the other accused. The fourth accused, Sainul Abideen, is facing cases in Kannur and Kozhikode and has reportedly been convicted in a cheating case. The accused are also reportedly involved in cyber fraud.