Senior CPI-M leader Jayarajan surrenders before HC

Kochi: Senior CPI-M leader and former Marxist MLA from Kannur, M V Jayarajan, who was found guilty of contempt of court by the Supreme Court for using ‘abusive and pejora-tive’ language to criticise a judgement, surrendered before the High Court on Monday.

The Apex Court had on January 30 reduced the jail term awarded to him by Kerala High Court from six months to four weeks. Jayarajan appeared with his counsel before the Registrar (Judicial) expressing his willingness to surrender following the Supreme Court judgement.He has been sent to Poojapara Central Jail in Thiruvanan-thapuram to undergo the four week imprisonment pronounced by the Apex Court.Jayarajan had come to the court complex along with his supporters.

Protesting against the Kerala High Court judgement of June 23, 2010, banning public meetings on roads and road margins in the state to ensure accide-nt-free and uninterrupted traffic, Jayarajan had at a public meeting on June 26 severely criticised the judgement.The Apex Court had said Jayarajan had vainly etymologised the Sanskrit origin of ‘sumbhan’, fully aware of the fact that it is a slang, especially to the rural and rustic persons he was addressing, and conveyed a strong abuse.

“Hence we see these parts of the speech as inten-ding to scandalise and lower the dignity of the Court, and as an intentional and calculated obstruction in the administration of justice. ” the court had said.