Thaindian News

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 10 (IANS) The Communist Party of India-Marxist’s (CPI-M) Kerala unit Thursday decided to go in appeal in the apex court after its leader M.V. Jayarajan was Tuesday sentenced to six months imprisonment by the Kerala High Court in a contempt of court case.

The state CPI-M’s top brass led by state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan held closed door discussions with top legal experts in Delhi.

An appeal would be filed Friday at the Supreme Court, according to a top CPI-M leader.

A high court division bench of Justice V. Ramkumar and Justice P.Q. Barkath Ali sentenced Jayarajan, ruling his statement last year about judges was demeaning.

The leader is currently lodged in the Thiruvananthapuram Central prison and since yesterday he has been getting a steady stream of visitors.

In July last year, Jayarajan spoke unparliamentary expressions about the manner the judges pass judgments after the high court ruled that there should be no wayside public meetings.

Taking note of the statement, a three-member bench of Chief Justice J. Chelameswar, Justice A.K. Basheer and Justice K.M. Joseph decided in October last year to go ahead with the contempt proceedings.

The 50-year-old Marxist, who hails from Kannur, is the first political leader in the state to be jailed in a contempt of court case. The court also refused to stay the verdict till the time he goes in appeal to the Supreme Court.

A two-time legislator, Jayarajan is presently a state committee member and is considered a firebrand leader.

Meanwhile, the CPI-M has decided to organise a protest march towards the Kerala High Court at Kochi on Nov 14 against the verdict and the court’s decision not to stay its verdict to give Jayarajan the time to go in for an appeal.