HC asks UDF candidate in Ollur to publish apology for misrepresenting court directive

The Kerala High Court has directed Shaji Kodankandath, United Democratic Front candidate in Ollur, to publish an apology within a week about a press release he is said to have issued allegedly misrepresenting a court directive about ‘corruption’ in the purchase of digital survey equipment.

A Division Bench of Justice Soumen Sen and Justice V.M. Syam Kumar issued the order after considering a letter written by Revenue Minister K. Rajan (Left Democratic Front candidate in the constituency) to the Registrar General of the court.

In it, Mr. Rajan alleged that Mr. Kodankandath issued a misleading media statement, claiming that the court had ordered a detailed inquiry into the corruption allegations.

After perusing the press release, the court rejected the contention in Mr. Kodankandath’s affidavit disowning his statement published in a Malayalam daily. At this stage, the petitioner has not disowned the circulation of the press release to the reporters. Therefore, the petitioner cannot disown the contents of the press release, which clearly conveys that the court had directed an inquiry regarding the purchase of digital survey equipment, the court observed.

Subsequently, he agreed to publish an apology admitting his mistake in the daily within a week.

The court observed that his petition seeking a Vigilance probe into the alleged corruption in the purchase of survey equipment could be heard on merits, subject to the apology being published to the court’s satisfaction.

In the meantime, the editor of the daily that carried the allegation appeared in person before the court and filed an affidavit detailing the circumstances that led to the publication of the news report in question.

The court said that in the facts and circumstances, “we accept the apology tendered by the editor. However, the editor is directed to publish the correct version of the news item along with a written apology from the petitioner, addressed to the editor, on the front page of the newspaper within one week from today,” it directed.

The petitioner as well as the editor of the daily shall file affidavits of compliance on or before April 6, the court added and posted the matter for hearing on that day.