The police have searched the office of digital news outfit Marunadan Malayali over a case against its editor Shajan Skaria by a CPM MLA in Kochi.

Kunnathunad MLA P V Sreenijin had earlier filed a complaint at Elamakkara police station in Kochi alleging that the portal made false allegations against him in a video uploaded online. A case was subsequently filed under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Meanwhile, the news organisation has accused the police of a witch-hunt .

Issuing a statement, the Kerala Union of Working Journalists said it does not agree with the organisation’s style of functioning but pointed out that such police action was unheard of in the state.

Kochi police commissioner K Sethuraman told PTI that the police action was part of a probe to trace its absconding editor and not a “crackdown” on the media outfit’s activities.