M V Jayarajan jailed for contempt of court

Kochi: The Kerala High Court today sentenced CPI(M) leader M V Jayarajan to six months imprisonment on charge of committing contempt of court by making derogatory remarks against judges and the judiciary.

A division bench comprising justices V Ram Kumar and P Q Barkat Ali passed the order after launching suo motu contempt
proceedings against Jayarajan, a former MLA. Jayarajan, who was present in court, made an application to suspend the sentence, which was turned down by the court finding him guilty of criminal contempt.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2000 on Jayarajan, who had represented Kannur constituency.

The CPI-M leader had earlier told the court that he had only criticised the judgement of the high court as it
'violated' the right to conduct meetings on roadsides enjoyed by the public for centuries. There is no law preventing such
meetings, Jayarajan had submitted, claiming that there was widespread protest against the verdict.

The court had also recorded the statement of some media personnel also in the case.

Jayarajan had made some remarks against judges and the judiciary soon after the verdict at a public meeting at
Kannur on June 26 last year.

The court had on June 10 chargesheeted him in the case after finding that the terminologies used by Jayarajan to
describe judges were intended to 'humiliate, scandalise and lower the authority' of the court in the eyes of public and
also to interfere with the administration of justice.

In August this year, the court framed fresh charges against him.

The bench said in case of default in payment of fine, Jayarajan would have to undergo an additional month of imprisonment.

Though he was awarded rigorous imprisonment first, it was later changed to simple imprisonment by the court.

This is the first time that the court has awarded a politician the maximum punishment of six months imprisonment
in a contempt case.

Some CPI-M workers, who had gathered near the court, shouted slogans hailing Jayarajan.

With a huge gathering of media personnel waiting at the court's front entrance, police escorted the CPIM leader
through the back gate.

Jayarajan, who will be lodged in the Poojapura central Jail in Thiruvananthapuram, waved to supporters as the police
vehicle carrying him sped away. PTI