Kerala HC orders PFI to deposit Rs 5.20 cr for damages caused in hartal

The court also ordered that PFI state general secretary Abdul Sathar should be arraigned in all hartal-related cases registered in the state

The Kerala High Court on Thursday ordered the Popular Front of India (PFI) to deposit Rs 5.20 crore towards the damages caused due to the recent hartal in the state.

The court also ordered that PFI state general secretary Abdul Sathar, who called for the hartal, should be arraigned in all hartal-related cases registered in the state.

All courts were also directed that bail should be granted to those arrested in hartal-related cases only after depositing the amount that quantified the damage caused in those incidents.

So far, around 2,050 persons were arrested and about 420 cases registered in the state in connection with the September 23 hartal. Sathar had called for the hartal in protest of the arrest of PFI leaders across the nation, in an operation led by the National Investigation Agency, on September 22.

The High Court suo moto registered the case for the “flash hartal” call.

PFI, as well as Sathar, were directed by the high court to deposit Rs 5.20 crore to the state home secretary within two weeks. In case of failure to make the payment, revenue recovery proceedings should be initiated to realise the amount from the organisation’s properties as well as the personal assets of its office bearers, the court ruled.

The court also appointed a claims commissioner and directed the state government to make it functional within three weeks to adjudicate the damages’ claims without delay.

The High Court was informed by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation that it had suffered Rs 5.06 crore worth of losses due to the damages caused to buses and cancellation of bus trips.

Sathar was arrested by the police from Kollam district on Wednesday, and later handed over to the NIA.

Meanwhile, state police chief Anil Kant also convened a meeting of senior officers and directed that PFI leaders and workers should be kept under strict vigil to avoid attempts of regrouping as well as to create trouble.

The Kerala police also started sealing the offices of PFI, and other affiliated organisations, that were banned by the Centre. All its properties would also be reportedly confiscated. Kerala government issued orders delegating the powers to the district magistrates and district police chiefs. The centre was learnt to have provided a list of offices and properties of these organisations to the state.