‘Can hartal violence invite criminal proceedings?’

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Friday orally asked the state government whether the persons responsible for causing damage to private and public property during hartal can be made part of criminal cases registered across the state.When the petitions against hartal came up for hearing, the state government submitted 189 cases against 4,430 persons were registered across the state for damaging public property on the hartal called by the UDF on February 18.

Citing a Supreme Court order in Kodungallur Film Society’s case, Additional Advocate General Ranjith Thampan pointed out the leaders, who allegedly instigated a hartal on February 18, can also be arrayed as co-accused in the criminal cases.

This was in furtherance with the guidelines given by the Supreme Court to make the organisers of hartal liable and responsible, for damage caused to public and private property.

The court also issued a notice to Youth Congress state president Dean Kuriakose, M C Kamarudeen, UDF chairman, Kasargod district and A Govindan Nair, UDF convener, Kasargod district. The court had earlier suo motu impleaded them in the case. The counsel for the Congress leaders sought time to file their response in the matter.In a statement, the government informed 427 persons were arrested for damaging public property. 

Contempt case: YC state chief, others appear in court
Kochi: Youth Congress state chief Dean Kuriakose, Kasargod UDF chairman M C Kamarudeen and Kasargod UDF convener A Govindan Nair on Friday appeared before the High Court in the contempt case for violating HC order banning flash hartal. They  appeared before CJ-headed Division Bench at 10.15am. They were directed to file the affidavit on March 5 and the hearing posted to March 6. Kuriakose’s  counsel said his client was unaware of the interim order at that point of time. To this, the court asked: “Isn’t he a lawyer?” The counsel said he does  not  practise law despite being  an LLB holder.