Kerala High Court Issues Notice to Deputy Speaker Shanimol Usman on DYFI Leader’s Plea

Alappuzha: The Kerala High Court has issued a notice to Deputy Speaker Shanimol Usman on a petition filed by DYFI district secretary James Samuel.

The order came on a petition challenging the FIR registered against James Samuel by the Alappuzha South Police based on a complaint filed by Shanimol Usman. The police had invoked charges including incitement to riot.

Shanimol had filed a defamation complaint with the South Police after James Samuel alleged that Congress leaders in Alappuzha were intervening to help the accused in the Nedumbassery road accident case.

The petition argues that the police registered the case illegally by adding criminal charges such as incitement to riot to the FIR without any basis, even though defamation cases cannot be directly registered by the police and must be initiated through a court.

James Samuel said the police were being used to file false cases against DYFI leaders to silence political dissent.

Apart from Shanimol Usman, the South Police have also registered FIRs based on complaints filed by Excise Minister M Liju and Congress leader A A Shukoor.

The High Court will consider the case on December 4. Advocates Sreejesh Bonsale and Mansoor Ali appeared for the petitioner.