Police on Saturday raided the house of Malayalam actor Vinayakan and seized his phone in connection with a case against him over his recent unpleasant remarks on late former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.?
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A team of police personnel, attached to the North Police station here, raided the award-winning actor's apartment at Kaloor in the heart of the city as part of collecting evidence.?
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"We raided his apartment and interrogated him. His phone was also seized," a senior police officer told PTI.?
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Though he was summoned to record his statement on Friday, he didn't turn up.?
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The actor was booked under IPC Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 297 for humiliating a person who is no more and under Kerala Police Act Section 120 (O) (causing a nuisance of himself to any person through any means of communication), the officer added.?
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In a viral Facebook video on Wednesday, the actor asked "Who is this Oommen Chandy?" and "Why three days' mourning had been declared in the state on his demise."?
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The 'Kammatti Padam' actor also criticised the media for the wide coverage given to the procession carrying his mortal remains to his home village Puthuppally in the Kottayam district.?
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Following social media outrage and widespread criticism from various quarters, Vinayakan later withdrew the video from his Facebook account.?
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Condemning his distasteful remarks against Chandy, the Congress on Thursday lodged a police complaint against the actor seeking action.?
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However, the former chief minister's son Chandy Oommen requested authorities not to register a case against the actor over the remarks.
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Chandy, who served as the chief minister of Kerala twice, breathed his last in a private hospital in Bengaluru on Tuesday. His end came while undergoing cancer treatment, party sources said. He was 79.