Kerala withdrew 36 criminal cases involving MPs and MLAs without knowledge of HC, SC intervenes

NEW DELHI: An affidavit filed in the Supreme Court said Kerala has withdrawn 36 cases against the MPs and MLAs. The government withdrew the cases registered between September 16, 2020 and July 31, 2021. All these cases were withdrawn without the knowledge or consent of the high court. Kerala High Court Registrar General Sophie Thomas informed the Supreme Court about this in the affidavit. In addition, the trial of 381 cases involving people's representatives is in progress in various courts, the registrar general said.

The highest number of cases were withdrawn from Thiruvananthapuram First Class Magistrate Court. The government has withdrawn 16 criminal cases from the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court three and 10 from the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court four. Apart from this, the government has withdrawn five cases from the Taliparamba Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, four cases from the Kannur First Class Magistrate Court and one case from the Mananthavady Judicial First Class Magistrate Court.

The Supreme Court had directed that cases involving people's representatives should not be withdrawn without the permission of the high court. The Supreme Court had asked the details of the withdrawn cases. Following this, the Registrar General of the High Court filed the affidavit.