KOCHI: M K Damodaran, the legal luminary who passed away on Wednesday, may be identified in Kerala politics for being a steadfast CPM fellow traveller. But he will be remembered by most people as the ace lawyer who stood like a rock behind Pinarayi Vijayan in the court battle in the SNC Lavalin case.
MKD, as he is known among his close associates, had been the legal force behind the CPM strongman throughout his legal battle in the Lavalin case. When Pinarayi came to power, he wanted to tap the former advocate general’s legal expertise for the state government. It was Damodaran’s legal expertise during arguing at the Thiruvananthapuram CBI special court which ensured Pinarayi’s acquittal in the Lavalin case.
Prior to his entry into the legal profession, Damodaran was active in politics and the students’ movements. Coming from an agricultural family, he never intended to take up law as his profession.
However, the suggestion of his friends to pursue a degree in law became a turning point in his life. After obtaining the law degree, he started practising at Thalassery.Damodaran represented CPM activists involved in the political murder cases that happened in Malabar, and he could successfully defend the accused.
The case pertaining to the suicide of an SI while on duty in the police station, popularly known as ‘Soman Case’; Thalassery Fasal murder case and murder of IUML activist Abdul Shukkoor at Keezhara in which CPM Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan and T V Rajesh MLA are the accused, are some cases he represented.
He appeared for M V Jayarajan in the contempt case for controversial remarks against High Court judges. He also appeared for the accused in the Abhaya case. It was during the tenure of MKD the question of Advocate General’s authority was widely debated. The court found AG is the only competent authority to accept copies of criminal proceedings in the High Court in which the government is a party, and forward the same to the Public Prosecutor’s office for further prosecution and conduct of the cases.
While disposing of the issue, the HC had cited the Supreme Court order stating the office of the AG is an exalted one and he is the supreme law officer of the state.Coming to the Lavalin case, the Kerala HC has reserved its order on the revision petition filed by the CBI challenging the acquittal of Pinarayi Vijayan and others. As fate would have it, MKD has left the stage when the verdict of the case is yet to be pronounced. More than anyone, the CM will miss MKD’s private counsel, especially in the Lavalin case.