The Kerala HC has issued notices to Power Minister A K Balan and MLA M Chandran on a petition seeking a direction to set aside a lower court order.
KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday issued notices to Power Minister A K Balan and MLA M Chandran on a petition seeking a direction to set aside a lower court order suspending the sentence and staying the arrest warrants against the two. In his petition, P Sandeep of Kakkanad, sought the High Court's directive to the Palakaad sessions judge to set aside the order of an Ottapalam court as also to hear the criminal appeal as expeditiously as possible and pass judgement within a timeframe.
Earlier, the Ottapalam court had sentenced Balan and seven others to two years imprisonment on charges of obstructing train services in connection with a rail blockade in December 2000 against the Centre's policy. The court had also issued arrest warrants against them. Challenging the Ottapalam court decision, Balan and Chandran had filed a petition in the Additional sessions court at Palakkad, which suspended the sentence.