The Kerala High Court has ordered further probe against Kerala Culture and Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian for his alleged controversial remarks against Indian Constitution. The minister, who had to resign from the post in 2022 following the controversy, was reinstated in the Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet later.
Hearing a plea challenging a lower court’s order in the case, Kerala High Court Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas dismissed the police’s probe report submitted in the case and ordered further investigation. The High Court directed the crime branch of Kerala police to conduct further probe into the matter.
"This Court has already found that a further investigation is required and since the accused is a Minister of the State this Court is of the view that an investigation by the Station House Officer will not suffice. Further investigation, hence, ought to be conducted by the State Crime Branch,” Bar and Bench reported quoting the bench.
Addressing a party meeting in 2022, the Kerala minister allegedly said the Constitution of the country "condones exploitation" and is written in a way helping to "plunder" the people of the country. However, the minister claimed his words were “distorted” by media.
A FIR was registered against the minister by Pathanamthitta police and Cherian resigned in July 2022. A Magistrate Court had accepted police’s probe report in the case and gave a clean chit to the minister.
Ordering further investigation on Thursday, the High Court directed the state police chief to issue orders for the transfer of the case immediately. The bench said an officer of integrity should lead the investigation and the probe should be completed without undue delay.
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Following the High Court’s order, the Opposition demanded the minister’s resignation. Opposition leader V.D. Satheeshan said Minister Cherian should resign immediately and face the probe. Satheeshan charged the left leader’s words were from RSS ideologue M.S. Golwalkar’s ‘Vichardhara’.
However, reacting on the High Court’s orders, Saji Cherian told reporters that he would not resign. He said the High Court arrived at this judgment without hearing his arguments.
