The Kerala Police on Saturday booked Independent MLA PV Anvar for allegedly tapping the phones of senior officials and spreading misinformation, The Indian Express reported.

This came a day after the state’s ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) said it was cutting its ties with Anvar, a two-time MLA from Nilambur in Malappuram district. He had been backed by the party.

On Thursday, Anvar had claimed that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would be the last person from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) to hold the chief minister’s post.

On September 1, the Independent legislator had also claimed that he had tapped the phones of several senior officials, the newspaper reported.

The police filed the case on Saturday based on the complaint of a 79-year-old social worker Thomas Peeliyanikkal. Anvar was booked for provoking individuals with an intention to cause riot.

Peeliyanikkal alleged that he had filed a complaint with the state police chief earlier. However, after no action was taken on his initial complaint, he went to the local police in Kottayam district’s Karukachal on Saturday, Peeliyanikkal said.

The development on Saturday came amid allegations Anvar made against the chief minister’s office and senior police officers, including Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) MR Ajithkumar.

Anvar had released a recording of an alleged phone call between him and Pathanamthitta Superintendent of Police Sujith Das. Subsequently, Das was suspended for this conversation with Anvar for allegedly revealing internal matters of the police, The Indian Express reported.

The Independent MLA has repeatedly accused the police department of failing to act against Das in connection with the officer’s alleged involvement in illegal activities during his time as the Malappuram superintendent of police.