Gagging Media, Kerala Style: Court Bars Media From Reporting Financial Fraud Allegations Involving Left MLA’s Son, CPI(M) State Chief’s Son

Updated on: 5 February 2018 2:09 pm

A Kerala court has gagged media from reporting or discussing a financial fraud case against the son of an MLA from the ruling LDF that also involves the son of the CPI(M)’s state chief, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.

Interestingly, the Kerala court’s gag order has come within weeks after the Bombay High Court stayed the verdict of a lower court that barred the media from reporting on the proceedings of Sohrabuddin Shaikh fake encounter case trial.

According to reports in the Malayalam media, Karunagapally sub-judge has issued a notice to various media houses and the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club restraining them from reporting the allegations against LDF MLA N Vijayan Pillai’s son Sreejith Vijayan. The court issued the notice after receiving a complaint from Sreejith.

The court's notice states that "(The court) hereby orders to ban (the media houses and the press club) prohibitting them from makining any kind of reports, discussions or statements about the said case or matters related to it."

The financial fraud case that put the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala in a predicament had first come to light after the Malayala Manorama reported that a Dubai-based tourism company had complained about it to the party’s central leadership. The company, JAAS Tourism LLC, alleged financial fraud to the tune of Rs 13 crore against the party’s state chief Kodiyeri Balakrishnan’s son, Binoy. It had also warned that the company will seek Interpol warrant against Binoy if the party does not intervene and settle the issue. Later, the company also leveled similar allegations against Sreejith.

The court’s gag order has also come a day after Balakrishnan challenged the Dubai Company’s owner and a UAE citizen, Hasan Ismail Abdullah Al Marzooqi, upon his arrival in Kerala. “The Arabi need not take the plunge to come to Kerala,” Balakrishnan had told media while commenting on the reports suggesting that Marzooqi might call a press conference with the Kerala media to discuss the case.

Following the court’s notice, Marzooqi has cancelled his press conference scheduled to be held in the Thirvananthapuram Press Club today.