COIMBATORE: A former councillor of Coimbatore Corporation was arrested on Thursday for staging a sit-in protest at the main office of the civic body demanding details of the drinking water distribution project to be handled by French MNC Suez Project Pvt. Ltd.

The Ukkadam police arrested C. Padmanaban of CPI-M, who was councillor of Ward NO.3 Thanneer Panthal for three terms. He was later released on bail in the evening.

Padmanaban had come to the Corporation office with a petition seeking details of the drinking water project. In his petition, he asked for copies of the contract signed between Coimbatore Corporation and Suez on November 24, 2017, work order given by the civic body to the firm on January 8, 2018 and all resolutions passed by the Corporation council on the contract entered between the two parties.

The civic body refused to give the details to Padmanaban, following which he staged a sit-in protest. Police arrived at the scene and arrested him.

According to police, the former councillor was booked Sections 88 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty).