Kochi City police mull KAAPA charges against arrested private bus employee

The Kochi City police are exploring the scope of invoking Kerala Anti-social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA) against Muhammed Ansar, 24, a private bus employee arrested on Monday (September 7, 2026) for alleged intimidation of at least two motorists and assault of a policeman on duty.

The Ernakulam Town North police arrested the Kannur native under Section 132 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for assaults or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging their duty. He was since then produced before court and remanded.

“It has emerged that the accused has multiple cases, including for theft, against him in Kannur in addition to the two cases registered by us. We are verifying whether he presents a fit case for invoking KAAPA,” said city police sources

Though he was initially nabbed earlier on Saturday, he was released on station bail. He was arrested after a video of him waylaying a family travelling in a car at Kaloor went viral, nearly a month after the incident. He then allegedly attacked an assistant sub-inspector in plainclothes while trying to take him into custody. However, only Section 117(e) of the Kerala Police Act, which deals with obstructing or assaulting a police officer with the intention of preventing them from discharging any of their duties, was invoked.

After the visual of the Kaloor incident went viral, another person, Rejins Chelattu, came out alleging that he had been threatened by Ansar two weeks after the first incident. Releasing images of the man blocking his car, Mr. Chelattu alleged that though he had filed a complaint with the police on August 22, no action was taken. Following the allegation, the Thrikkakara police on Saturday night recorded his statement and registered a first information report on Sunday night. The accused was booked for wrongful restraint and uttering obscene words in the latest case.