KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Friday sought the formal response and objections of Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and his brother, V.D. Ajayakumar, in a comprehensive police protection plea preferred by expelled Congress woman leader Simi Rosebell John. Simi has moved the court accusing the high-profile politician and his immediate family members of orchestrating systematic threats against her life and property. The writ petition, handled by Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, specifically seeks robust directives to the state government and the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Thevara police station to guarantee absolute protection to her and her immediate family members without any interference from the Chief Minister or his political associates. Notably, the petition was initially filed in April 2026 when Satheesan was serving as the Leader of the Opposition.
According to the details highlighted in the text of the plea, Simi claimed that Satheesan had unethically offered her a large sum of money immediately following his very first election to the Kerala Legislative Assembly. She asserted that she resolutely declined the financial offer on the strong suspicion that the funds were sourced entirely through deep-rooted political corruption. She further stated that she later chose to speak out against Satheesan in the public domain, and because of this deep political enmity, Satheesan and his influential “power group” have been actively attempting to attack and intimidate her. The petition also documented separate physical assaults carried out by unknown elements against her son and an immediate political colleague on different occasions. Fearing an imminent threat to her survival, she had preferred a formal representation before the City Police Commissioner, but its absolute failure prompted her to approach the High Court.
During the previous rounds of judicial hearings, a procedural deadlock arose as Simi claimed the local police were purposefully evading the task of recording her statement, whereas the state’s legal cell argued that the petitioner was actively refusing to cooperate with investigators. To resolve the impasse, the High Court had strictly ordered Simi to present herself before the City Police Commissioner at 11:00 AM on May 29 specifically to record her statement. When the matter was taken up for dynamic consideration yesterday, Simi’s legal counsel submitted that despite arriving at the designated hour, she was arbitrarily forced to remain inside the police station until late in the evening and was flatly denied a copy of her own signed statement despite a formal written request. The counsel further added that the statement was processed by an allegedly corrupt officer who had previously been summoned by the Supreme Court of India in connection with an independent case.
While the single bench declined to pass any formal structural orders regarding the copy of the statement since no such specific relief was officially incorporated into the principal prayer of her writ, the court orally intervened to quiz the primary intent of the plea. “The writ petition is only for police protection. Protection for what? For what reason?…What is the basis of this apprehension of threat?” the court questioned. The petitioner’s counsel clarified that the threat matrix remains extremely high due to severe political rivalry, especially after Simi and her injured colleague organized a formal press conference leveling direct corruption allegations against the leader, a risk that stands heavily amplified now that Satheesan has taken charge as the Chief Minister of the State.
The court then turned to the government pleader, questioning the prolonged administrative delay in executing its direct judicial order. “She was asked to appear at 11:00 AM, why did your officers delay in taking the statement? That’s an order of the court,” Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas observed. The government pleader subsequently requested a brief window to get updated instructions from the home department. Simultaneously, the court issued an oral directive instructing the state to hand over a copy of the statement to the petitioner. Meanwhile, the legal counsel representing Satheesan noted a change in the vakalath and sought adequate time to file formal counter-objections. Accepting the request, the court adjourned the case to July 2 for subsequent evaluation. The petition was filed by Advocate V.R. Manoranjan (Muvattupuzha) under Case No: WP(C) 15288/ 2026.
ലഘു വിവരണം
കോൺഗ്രസിൽ നിന്നും പുറത്താക്കപ്പെട്ട സിമി റോസ്ബെൽ ജോൺ നൽകിയ പോലീസ് സംരക്ഷണ ഹർജിയിൽ മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി വി.ഡി. സതീശൻ, സഹോദരൻ വി.ഡി. അജയകുമാർ എന്നിവർക്ക് കേരള ഹൈക്കോടതി നോട്ടീസ് അയച്ചു. അഴിമതിക്കെതിരെയും മുഖ്യമന്ത്രിക്ക് എതിരെയും പരസ്യമായി സംസാരിച്ചതിന്റെ രാഷ്ട്രീയ വൈരാഗ്യം കാരണം തന്റെ ജീവന് ഭീഷണിയുണ്ടെന്നാണ് സിമിയുടെ പരാതി. സതീശൻ പ്രതിപക്ഷ നേതാവായിരുന്ന ഏപ്രിലിലാണ് ഈ ഹർജി നൽകിയത്. കോടതി നിർദ്ദേശമുണ്ടായിട്ടും സിമിയുടെ മൊഴി രേഖപ്പെടുത്താൻ വൈകിയതിന് പോലീസിനെ ജസ്റ്റിസ് ബെച്ചു കുര്യൻ തോമസ് വിമർശിച്ചു. കേസ് ജൂലൈ രണ്ടിലേക്ക് മാറ്റി.
(With inputs from Livelaw & PTI)
For more details: Navamalayalam.com