The Kerala High Court on Tuesday declined to stay the summons issued by the Thiruvananthapuram Chief Judicial Magistrate Court directing Ministers E.P Jayarajan and K.T. Jaleel to appear before it on October 28 in a criminal case registered in connection with the ruckus that took place in the State Assembly in March 2015.
When a petition challenging the magistrate court order dismissing the plea of the prosecution to withdraw the case registered against the Ministers and other CPI(M) leaders came up, the government counsel sought to stay the summons issued to the Ministers for their appearance on October 28. In fact, other CPI(M) leaders V Sivankutty, Kunjahammad, C.K. Sadasivan and K Ajith had appeared earlier before the trial court and taken bail in the case.
The Assembly had witnessed unprecedented scenes on March 13, 2015, as the then Opposition LDF members tried to prevent the then Finance Minister, K M Mani, who was facing charges in the bar bribery case, from presenting the State budget.
Besides flinging the Speaker's chair from the podium, electronic equipments such as computers, keyboard and microhpnes on the desk of the Speaker were allegedly damaged by LDF members.
Following the bedlam, a case was registered during the previous UDF government’s regime charging the six Opposition LDF MLAs with offences under the Prevention of Destruction of Public Property Act and IPC sections 447 (criminal trespass) and 427 (mischief causing damage). The case was based on a complaint filed by the Assembly Secretary.
The LDF government decided to withdraw the case after considering a petition by V Sivankutty, CPI(M) leader and former MLA who was among the accused in the case.
Dismissing the prosecution application seeking to withdraw the cases, the magistrate court had observed that the withdrawal of such cases would send a wrong message to society. It also added that the application seeking to withdraw the case was filed without good faith and on extraneous considerations.