THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala High Court on Monday took suo motu cognizance against those who called the shutdown as it violated the court's directives.

The high court ordered suo-motu filing contempt of court cases against Youth Congress State president Dean Kuriakose, UDF Kasargod district chairman M C Kamaruddhin and district UDF convenor A Govindan Nair. The division bench including the chief justice also directed the police to send them notice, asking them to appear in person on February 22

The contempt of court case was filed in response to the petition filed by Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Mlayala Vedi.
Following the killing of the Youth Congress leaders, youth congress had called for a state-wide hartal and district UDF leaders had called for hartal in Kasargod district.

When the lighting hartal came to the notice of the high court, it took up the existing petition in this connection for special consideration. Dean Kuriakose, Kamaruddhin and Govindan Nair were made party in the case.

The division bench ordered that call for hartal was suo-motu violation of high court order. While the petition was being considered, Chamber of Commerce advocate clarified that call for hartal was made on Sunday evening.

The government also submitted in the court the copy of Dean Kuriakose’ Face book page calling for hartal in the midnight. Following the hartal ICSE computer exam had to postponed, which affected one lakh students.

Additional A G Ranjith Thamban who represented government in the court said that the DGP had given instructions to district police centres to take action against the unlawful hartal.

The high court observed that obstructing essential services and studies of children could not be allowed. Recognised organisations and members should support the law. It asked whether there was option to cancel the registration and disqualify organisations that dared to hold unlawful hartal. After this the court instructed the registry to file suo-motu case.

On January 7, a Division Bench of Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar had passed an interim order which said that any group which wishes to call a shutdown should give seven days' notice.

The Kasargode district CPI-M leadership denied any link with the killings. CPI-M state Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan condemned the murders and said that if any party member was found involved, he should be named as an accused.