T'puram: Minister for culture, fisheries and youth affairs Saji Cherian turned down the demand for his resignation after the high court issued a directive to the crime branch to conduct an investigation into the allegation that he had passed derogatory comments against the Constitution. Cherian claimed on Thursday there was no question of moral responsibility as the high court had not heard him in the case.
"At present, there is no moral issue. Earlier, the lower court accepted the police report that absolved me of the charges. It was then dragged to the high court. Now the high court has ordered a reinvestigation in this case. Let the probe be conducted and findings be submitted to the court. Since the court did not go into the merits of the case, there is no moral angle involved," he said.
Cherian also added that he had once resigned on moral grounds and was later reinducted into the state cabinet only after the lower court accepted the police report that absolved him of the charges.
"One court accepted the police report and ruled out the allegation that I had insulted the Constitution. Another court passed a contradictory view on the issue. There are higher courts too. The high court now only wants the probe to continue. It doesn't deter me from doing my duties as a minister. I will continue to discharge my duties as a minister," he added.
Cherian said he would approach the higher court only after studying the high court order.
The minister also claimed that the state police did not look into certain aspects of the case and the high court only pointed out that those missing aspects should also be investigated.
"Let it be so. I accept the court order," he said.