Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan waves at supporters from the Nava Kerala Sadas bus. File photo: Manorama
Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Thursday stayed criminal proceedings against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a case accusing him of abetting political violence during the Nava Kerala Sadas tour held in 2023.
Justice V G Arun issued the interim stay on proceedings before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court, Ernakulam, where Vijayan had been charged with abetment under Section 109 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The Chief Minister had moved the High Court seeking to quash the proceedings, arguing that the complaint lacked merit and failed to establish any criminal intent on his part. The case stems from an incident in November 2023 when a group of Youth Congress workers allegedly tried to block the CM’s tour bus. The next day, Vijayan publicly praised DYFI workers who, he claimed, helped avert a possible accident by pushing the protestors aside.
Youth Congress protesters being removed from the road by police after waving black flags at the bus in which the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues are travelling as part of the Nava Kerala Sadas. Photo: Manorama
Following this speech, a complaint was lodged before the Central Police Station in Ernakulam, but no FIR was registered. The complainant later approached the CJM court, which accepted the complaint and referred it to the police for inquiry.
In its report, the police said there was no evidence to suggest that the Chief Minister’s speech had incited political violence. They also noted that neither the complainant nor any witnesses had direct knowledge of any offence linked to the CM’s remarks.
The court also noted that any further proceedings would require sanction from the Governor under Section 197 of the CrPC, as Vijayan is a public servant. The matter was adjourned to November 1, 2025.
Challenging the CJM’s order, the Chief Minister argued in his petition that the case was politically motivated and legally unsustainable. It further stated that there was no mens rea or criminal intent, and that the CJM’s order lacked jurisdiction and failed to apply judicial reasoning. The High Court will take up the matter again in due course.
(With LiveLaw inputs.)
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