No question of apology to Mamkootathil over 'fake medical certificate' remark: CPI(M) leader M V Govindan

Thiruvananthapuram: Senior CPI(M) leader M V Govindan on Sunday said there was no question of him apologising to Kerala Youth Congress (YC) president Rahul Mamkootathil for his 'fake medical certificate' remark.

Govindan, speaking to reporters here, said his comments about the medical certificate Mamkootathil presented in court while seeking bail, were based on the order denying the relief to the YC state president.

The CPI(M) state secretary said the court clearly mentions that the medical summary of the YC leader did not contain any hospital seal and therefore, anyone can guess what that means.

"He has reportedly sent me a legal notice seeking an apology from me. There is no question of an apology. What I said is based on what the court said in its order denying him bail," Govindan said.

Mamkootathil, who is currently in prison for allegedly leading violent attacks during a recent march, has sent a legal notice to Govindan for his alleged defamatory statement regarding the medical certificate which YC leader had submitted in court recently.

In the legal notice, Mamkootathil has said that if the Left leader doesn't tender an unconditional apology in a press conference within the next seven days, Rs one crore should be paid as compensation for the damage caused to him due to the 'defamatory statements'.

Terming the remarks as 'baseless and false', he also said that Govindan had made the allegation with a 'heinous intention' to tarnish his image.

Speaking at a programme in Taliparamba in Kannur district recently, Govindan had alleged that the Youth Congress president had submitted a 'fake medical certificate' to obtain bail early this week.

Mamkootathil was arrested by police from his house in Pathanamthitta on Tuesday for allegedly leading violent attacks during a recent march in the state capital.

A court had rejected his bail plea and remanded him to judicial custody.