Dharna on roads: HC expresses dissatisfaction with affidavit of police officers

A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday orally expressed its dissatisfaction with the affidavits filed by the police officers including Kiran Narayanan, former Thiruvananthapuram city police commissioner and the Station House Officers of Vanchiyoor and Cantonment police stations in Thiruvananthapuam and Central Police station in Kochi in a contempt of court initiated against them and the political leaders including CPI State Secretary M.V.Govindan. The contempt of court petition has been filed by N. Prakash of Kochi for violating the High Court directive banning meetings and demonstrations on roads and footpaths. While the CPI State leaders including Binoy Viswam are to be proceeded against for participating in a dharna organised by the Government secretariat employee organization on the footpath in front of the Secretariat, Congress leaders in Kochi are being hauled up for holding a meeting on the footpath near the Kochi Corporation office. When the contempt of court petition was taken up for hearing, the Bench comprising Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice Muralee Krishna S. orally observed that “prima facie we are not satisfied with the affidavit of the police officers which contain “mere unconditional apology.” The affidavits were filed by Shanif H.S., Prajeesh Sasi, and Anish Joy, Station House Officers respectively of Vanchiyoor, Cantonment and Central stations, apart from Kiran Narayanan and G. Sparjan Kumar, Inspector General of police.