The Kerala High Court on Friday quashed the charge sheet against Kannada actress Jayamala, astrologer Unnikrishna Panicker and his associate A N Reghupathy in the 2006 Sabarimala case.
Justice S S Satheeshchandran held that the accused were not liable to be prosecuted for the offence registered against them.
In the absence of evidence showing that the accused had a deliberate and malicious intention to outrage the religious feelings of any class of people, their prosecution was not justified, the court held.
The declarations made in the Devaprshnam by Unnikrishna Panicker could be taken exception to as false, perhaps, also of having done so with the mala fide intention to enhance his fame as an astrologer or even to harm the thantris or the Devaswom or any other person associated with the temple, it said.
The declarations were on the basis of disclosure from Jayamala while he conducted an Ashtamangalya prasnam at her house earlier. This is not sufficient to hold that he had made such declarations with deliberate and malicious intention to outrage the religious feelings of a class of persons, it held.
In Sabarimala, a Devaprshnam was conducted from June 16 to June 19, 2006. The prosecution submitted that Unnikrishna Panicker had made certain disclosures as part of deciphering the Devaprshnam that a woman had entered the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and touched the idol of Lord Ayyappa.
His claim had kicked up a controversy as entry to the Sannidhanam is prohibited for women in the age group of 10 to 50.
Reghupathy then contacted Jayamala and she had faxed to Sabarimala Executive officer stating that she had visited the temple and even touched the idol.