IUML student leader in Kerala arrested for derogatory remarks on women; gets bail later

In a massive development, the president of Kerala's wing of Muslim Students Federation, PK Navas on Friday was arrested for making derogatory remarks on women. Navas, who heads the student body of the IUML, had made a sexually coloured remark on women during a meeting of MSF back in June. Miffed by the remark, the members of the women wing of the Haritha had registered a case at the Vellayil police station in Kozhikode.

An official told a leading news network that PK Navas has been charged under sections 354 (A)(I)(IV) (physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures and making sexually coloured remarks) and 509 (insulting the modesty of women) of the IPC in the case filed.

In relation to the said case, the police summoned Navas on Friday morning and by afternoon recorded his arrest. Then, the MSF state treasurer and other office-bearers, as per sources, initiated bail procedures and he was granted bail within a few hours. 

As per reports, back in August, ten members of the women’s wing of MSF- Haritha approached the Kerala state women’s panel with a complaint against PK Navas. The women also mentioned MSF Malappuram district president M Kabeer and district general secretary, VA Wahab, in the complaint, in which the three men were accused of making sexually coloured remarks against them at a meeting of MSF office-bearers on June 24.

Furious at the step taken by Haritha, the IUML at first froze and later, dissolved the women's unit of the party. The party then lured the women leaders with the condition that they would take back their decision of dissolution of the wing if the women considers the apology of PK Navas and two others, and refrain from taking any further action.