Kerala High Court Orders Production of Case Diary in Minister Saji Cherian’s Insult Case
Last Updated on October 10, 2024 by Athi Venkatesh
The Kerala High Court has ordered the production of the case diary related to the investigation into allegations against Kerala Minister for Fisheries, Culture, and Youth Affairs, Saji Cherian. The Minister allegedly made insulting remarks against the Indian Constitution during a public function on July 3, 2022. The directive was issued following a plea by a lawyer seeking a re-investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The petitioner argues that Minister Cherian’s speech ridiculed the Constitution by claiming it allowed labor exploitation and failed to support the working class. The Minister also allegedly stated that the Constitution was compiled by the British and questioned its values of secularism and democracy.
The plea also states that a complaint was filed on July 5, 2022, leading to an FIR at Keezhvaipur police station. However, the petitioner claims that the police investigation was improper. It alleges that instead of filing a charge sheet, the police filed a report recommending the closure of the case due to lack of evidence. The plea seeks a CBI re-investigation, arguing that the police investigation was not fair.
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas has ordered the case diary to be submitted to the Court for review. The Director General of Prosecution, T.A. Shaji, opposed the plea, arguing that the petitioner has an alternative remedy by seeking revision. The matter is scheduled for a further hearing on October 23.
