KOCHI: Former advocate general of Kerala K P Dandapani passed away in Kochi on Tuesday. He was 76. He served as the AG when the Congress-led UDF was in power in the state from 2011 to 2016.
Dandapani’s biggest achievement in his career was the sensational 2012 Italian marines case. Not only did he win the case for the state government, he also ensured adequate compensation for the families of the victims.
Marines of the Italian ship ‘Enrica Lexie’ shot dead two fishermen off the Kollam coast on February 15, 2012. There was immense pressure from the then chief minister Oommen Chandy and the state cabinet to hand over the case to senior Supreme Court lawyers, given its international ramifications.
However, Dandapani exhibited immense confidence and convinced the state government to let him handle the case. The state government clinched a compensation of Rs 1 crore each for the families of the two fishermen. However, Dandapani’s tenure also had its fair share of controversies.
While representing the Kerala government in the Mullaperiyar case in the High Court, a statement by Dandapani was interpreted as against the state government’s position.
“While hearing the case, there was a mention of the water-holding capacity in the Idukki district. The court asked me if it is possible to contain that much water in the Idukki district and I said yes,” he clarified to the reporters then. Despite criticism, he stuck to his position that it was indeed the state government’s view that he presented before the HC.
There were also allegations that Dandapani Associates, run by his wife Sumathi Dandapani, and son Milu Dandapani, appeared against the government in the High Court. But he had refuted those allegations too.
Dandapani, who enrolled as an advocate in 1968 after graduating from the Ernakulam Government Law College, was appointed a judge of the Kerala High Court in 1996. He resigned from the position when he was transferred to the Gujarat High Court within five months. Dandapani was later designated as a senior advocate by the Kerala High Court.