UAE court dismisses cheque case against Kerala politician

Kerala politician Thushar Vellapally, who was arrested last month in the UAE in a cheque default case, on Sunday got a full discharge in the case.

After Vellapally, who heads the Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) - the second-biggest constituent of the NDA in Kerala, was arrested last month, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had written to External Affairs Minister S. Jaisankar on the issue, while the state BJP leadership maintained silence.

Though Vellapally secured bail the next day on August 22, his passport was impounded and he was asked to stay back till the case is settled.

Following a few hearings, it came to light that the case did not have merit and on Sunday, the court in UAE's Ajman cleared Vellapally in the case and his passport was returned.

He is expected to return to Kerala on Sunday itself.

The complainant in the case, N. Abdullah, who hails from Kerala's Thrissur district, had worked as a sub-contractor in the UAE for Vellapally and complained that when Vellapally's cheque, given almost a decade back, was presented a few months back, it bounced.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Vellapally has unsuccessfully contested against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad constituency.
IANS