CPM Kozhikode district committee on Wednesday moved the Kerala High Court, seeking initiation of contempt of court proceedings against the visual media, newspapers and police for publishing the details of the investigations into the murder of RMP leader T.P. Chandrasekharan.

Party district secretary T.P. Ramakrishanan said, the court, while considering the Sampath case, had issued a directive not to publish the details of an investigation that’s ongoing. “But, the police and the media are blatantly violating the court order,” he said.

The petitioner pointed out that with a view to deriving political gain, the rival parties were trying to malign the CPM and its workers. It is actually a conspiracy by the rival parties, the visual media and the press.
CPM also alleged that the court had earlier cautioned the media against the danger of disclosing the details of the investigations in criminal cases.

“The court had also cautioned the police, stating that they, along with the media, will have to be prepared to face action in the event of any breach. The media is giving twisted stories about the investigation,” the party alleged.

CPM has made the publishing houses as also the SIT head Vincent M. Paul and DGP Jacob Punnoose as parties to the case. The court will consider the case Thursday.

CPM to hold campaign against ‘police torture’

Soon after the Neyyattin-kara byelection, the CPM would launch a campaign demanding disciplinary action against SIT police personnel involved in the alleged torture of party workers in connection with the TPC murder.

Addressing a press conference in Vadakara on Wednesday, CPM state secretariat member Elamaram Kareem said a 24-hour sit-in would be organised at 5 pm on June 3 in Vadakara. All major state-level leaders would participate in the sit-in.

The agitation would end on June 4. From June 5, public meetings and protest marches would be held at various centers across the district.

He said the court statements of arrested CPM leaders K.C. Ramachan-dran and Padayankandi Raveendran, that they were tortured by the police, substantiated the earlier allegations raised by the party. He also named some of the police officials who allegedly beat up the CPM leaders. More embarrassing details of the torture will come out from the victims in the coming days, he said.

When asked whether the investigation should be handed over to the CBI, Kareem said the party had no high regard for the performance of the CBI.

“The present investigation should be allowed to continue independently without any political interference,” he said.

Meanwhile, CPM Kunnummakkara local committee member K.C. Ramachandran and Orkkattery local committee member Padayankandi Raveendran who were arrested in connection with the TPC murder complained to the judicial first class magistrate court (JFMC), Vadakara, on Wednesday that the police was torturing them.

Ramachandran was produced at the court as the duration of the remand period in police custody was over, while Raveendran was produced as he had submitted a complaint seeking expert medical examination.

Prisoners erect temples, mosques, portraits

While memorials of Communist leaders erected by CPM prisoners in Kannur central prison has raised a controversy, the large number of illegal constructions done by inmates of the jails in the state remain unnoticed.

The fact is there are unauthorised, pucca constructions in 40 of the 52 jails. This was revealed in a report to be submitted by jail officials to the director general of prisons and correctional services recently.

Recently, home minister Thiruvanchoor Radha-krishnan was stunned to find portraits of prominent Communists leaders placed on the walls in the eighth block of the Kannur central prison.

According to the report, there in all are over 20 unauthorised constructions, which include places of worship like temples and mosques. There are four temples and one mosque at the Nettukaltheri open prison in the capital. There are also one temple in Viyyur central prison and five temples in Poojappura central prison.

Three memorials of CPM, including benches, are in place in Kannur central prison.
Apart from this, there are 1,000 portraits of Jesus Christ, Sreeraman, Pinarayi Vijayan, Mannathu Padmanabhan, AKG, EMS, Rajeev Gandhi and others on jail walls. Of these, around 350 portraits adorn the prison walls.

The report of the unauthorised constructions and the portraits on the remaining 12 jails will be submitted to DGP Alexander Jacob and the correctional services within two days. After that, the DGP will submit the report to the state home secretary this week.

“These portraits and constructions are illegal. According to the government rules, inmates have the right to place the portraits of Mahatma Gandhi, the President, the CM and the PM on the walls of the jails. The others are all illegal,” said Jacob.