The Kerala High Court on Wednesday stayed proceedings in an FIR against Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly V D Satheesan in connection with a protest held under his leadership during the Puthuppally byelection campaign.
Justice K Babu passed the interim order saying that on perusal of the FIR, it was difficult to gather the criminal intent on the part of the opposition leader to commit the offences he was booked for.
“On a perusal of the FIR, it is difficult to gather the ‘mens rea’ of the petitioner (Satheesan) in the commission of the alleged offences.
“Further proceedings pursuant to the FIR as against the petitioner shall stand stayed till the next posting date,” the high court said.
Satheesan and some Congress workers were booked for the offences under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 145 (joining or continuing in an unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting) and 447 (criminal trespass) read with section 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) of the IPC.
They were booked for the offences for protesting on the premises of the Veterinary Sub Centre, Puthuppally against the expulsion of a temporary employee.
The order came on Satheesan’s plea, filed last week, seeking quashing of the FIR against him.
