LDF convenor E P Jayarajan. (File Photo)
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Chief Judicial Magistrate court here on Monday read out the charge sheet against LDF convenor E P Jayarajan in the 2015 Assembly ruckus case. Jayarajan, who was directed to turn up after he skipped the court proceedings on September 14 citing health issues, denied the charges against him. The case will now be considered on October 26 when the trial date will be pronounced.
The court on September 14 had read out the charge sheet against General Education Minister V Sivankutty, KT Jaleel MLA and former left MLAs K Ajith, C K Sadasivan and K Kunjumuhammed in the case, which pertains to the destruction of public property and trespassing.
The prosecution requested the court for a month's time to hand over the documents to the accused.
After appearing before the court, Jayarajan told the media that the case was registered as part of the political agenda of the UDF. He accused the UDF of obliterating conventions of the legislative assembly and said the then Speaker had tried to mock the LDF members.
"The UDF members belittled the assembly conventions. Instead of resolving the issue, the UDF members stayed in the assembly on the eve of the budget presentation. They created a ruckus. The Speaker also acted in a way mocking the LDF members. There was an organised attack against the LDF members. The women members and Sivankutty were attacked. The UDF members were spared and cases were registered against the LDF members, which was a politically-motivated move," he said.
The case pertains to a conflict inside the Assembly on March 13, 2015, when the opposition attempted to obstruct the then Finance Minister K M Mani from presenting the annual state budget, as he was an accused in the bar bribery case. The accused were charged with destruction of public property, trespassing and causing damage, which carries a jail term of up to five years.
The charge sheet of the crime branch said public property worth Rs 2.20 lakh was destroyed during the ruckus. Earlier, the trial court had rejected the state government's plea to withdraw the case. The government appeal challenging the trial court decision was rejected by the High Court and the Supreme Court. Recently, the High Court rejected the demand of the defendants to order a stay in the trial proceedings.
