THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former minister and LDF MLA KT Jaleel continued his attack against Lok Ayukta Justice Cyriac Joseph on the second consecutive day. On Monday too, Jaleel used his Facebook page to level serious allegations against Justice Cyriac Joseph.
In a post that detailed about the case against him for nepotism in which Cyriac Joseph ordered his removal from the post during the previous government, Jaleel alleged that Cyriac Joseph was a judge who penned only six judgements during his three-and-a-half year tenure as Supreme Court judge. “He heard this case (against Jaleel) in lightning speed. Within 12 days of accepting complaint, hearing was completed and verdict was issued without even hearing the respondent,” said Jaleel. In another major allegation, Jaleel said the same ‘great man’ tried to sabotage Sister Abhaya murder case.
Later in the day, he wrote that the appointment of Justice Cyriac Joseph as Lokayukta by the Pinarayi Vijayan government was done as there was no other choice. “There were only two judges eligible for the post. One ‘great man’ was unwilling to take up the post. There was no other way than appointing the available,” Jaleel said. According to him, with the amendment there is no need for a former Supreme Court judge as the new amendment requires only a former high court judge for the job. The existing act mandates that Lokayukta needs to be someone who retired as a high court chief justice or a Supreme Court judge.
Meanwhile, Jaleel’s personal criticism against Lokayukta, prompted Indian Lawyers’ Congress, a forum of lawyers affiliated to the Indian National Congress, to file a contempt of court case against him for maligning the authority of the anti-graft judicial body. The case was filed by Rajeev K S, Thiruvananthapuram district president of Indian Lawyers’ Congress. The petitioner alleged that Jaleel had to quit the office of the minister after the Lokayukta found that the charges of favouritism, nepotism and violation of oath of office were substantiated against him. Embittered by this, Jaleel “made many disparaging and scandalizing public remarks against Lokayukta at various places,” the petitioner alleged.
Left not keen to endorse statement
T’Puram: A day after Left legislator K T Jaleel unleashed a scathing attack against Lokayukta Justice Cyriac Joseph, the Left leadership has distanced itself from the remarks. Neither the CPM nor the CPI leadership endorsed Jaleel’s view and chose to play it down, terming it an individual opinion. “There are certain issues with Section 14 of the Act. It can even be used to abolish a government. That’s why the government decided to bring in an ordinance to amend the same,” pointed out CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. Meanwhile CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran said what Jaleel said amounted to his personal opinion. Responding to media queries, Kanam said Jaleel’s remark should be viewed as that of an individual and not of an organisation.