Court refuses to withdraw public property damage case against Kerala ministers

The LDF-led Kerala government's attempt to withdraw a public property damage case against six leaders, including two ministers, suffered a setback as a local court rejected the government's plea saying that withdrawal of such cases would send a wrong message to society.

Causing embarrassment to the LDF Front government, the chief judicial magistrate court also observed that application to withdraw the case was presumed to be filed without good faith and on external influence.

The case pertained to the bedlam in the Kerala Assembly by the Left Front MLAs against the Congress-led UDF's Finance Minister K M Mani from presenting the state's budget on March 13, 2015. Mani was facing allegations of bribery against him.

The accused include Industries Minister E P Jayarajan and Higher Education Minister K T Jaleel.

The damages to the property in the Assembly were estimated to be Rs 2.2 lakh. The Opposition MLAs had also damaged the speaker's chair in the bedlam.

The Vijayan government recently decided to withdraw the case considering the representation of the accused CPM leaders.

Subsequently, a withdrawal petition was filed but the Opposition also moved a counter-petition.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan justified the government's stand stating that such incidents in the Assembly were part of the then political circumstances. He also said that the government would go by the court order in this regard.

However, the accused are likely to file an appeal in the Kerala High Court.
Other accused in the case are V Sivankutty, C K Sadasivan and K Kunjahmed Master of CPM and K Ajith of CPI.