Shillong, October 5: In the backdrop of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s strong condemnation of Delhi Police’s actions against ‘NewsClick,’ the Kerala High Court has castigated the Kerala Police for their treatment of the immensely popular online platform, ‘Marunadan Malayalee.’
As per IANS, an official representing ‘Marunadan Malayalee’ took the matter to the High Court after Kerala Police seized all their electronic equipment, including laptops and desktop computers, and sealed their office in the state’s capital city. This drastic action followed a complaint from CPI(M) Legislator PV Sreenijin in June.
The Ernakulam Police invoked the SC/ST Atrocities Act in this case. The editor, Shajan Skariah, also found himself under scrutiny in other instances, with the police closely monitoring him due to his news portal’s outspoken stance against Chief Minister Vijayan and his government.
On a recent Thursday, the court questioned the police’s justification for confiscating all the electronic equipment in a case linked to the SC/ST Atrocities Act. The petitioner pointed out that despite the passage of several months, no further action had been taken by the police.
In response, the court directed the police to ensure the return of all confiscated materials within one week’s time. It’s worth noting that PV Sreenijin, the complainant, is the son-in-law of former Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan. This development underscores growing concerns about freedom of the press and the actions of law enforcement in the state.
