The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Paloli told to appear before High Court

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 09, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Paloli told to appear before High Court

Staff Reporter

In a criminal contempt of court case

Kochi: A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Thursday issued notice to Local Self-Government Minister Paloli Mohammed Kutty in a criminal contempt of court case suo motu instituted by it.

According to the High Court Registrar-General, the Minister, in a reported speech made in Kozhikode on January 30, had tended to scandalise and lower the dignity of the court in the eyes of the public.

His reported remarks interfered with the administration of the justice system.

He was charged with creating suspicion and doubt about the judiciary in the minds of the people.

The Bench of acting Chief Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan and Justice M.N. Krishnan also issued notice to the Editors of the Mangalam, Thejus, Rashtra Deepika and the printer and publisher of the Madhyamam for reporting the remarks of the Minister.

The Minister and other respondents will have to appear in person before the court on February 15. The case was posted to February 15 for further hearing.

The court issued notice after observing that it was satisfied that a prima facie case had been made out for initiating contempt of court proceedings against the respondents, including the Minister.

The case was instituted by the High Court Registrar-General on a directive from the acting Chief Justice.

The newspapers were liable to be prosecuted and punished for reporting the remarks of the Minister under the provisions of the Contempt of Court Act.

When the case was take up, Advocate-General C.P. Sudhakara Prasad submitted that the Minister had denied having made such remarks and showed the statement of the Minister in this regard appearing in the newspapers. The court then observed that the Advocate-General had to assist the court in the case.