HC admits Contempt petition, issues notice to 16 respondents

A Division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice A M Shafique, also issued notices to 16 respondents, including newspapers and Television media, DGP Jacob Punnoose and ADGP Vinson M Paul.

The bench dispensed with the personal appearance of the respondents for the time being.

According to the petitioner, CPI (M)'s Kozhikode district secretary T P Ramakrishnan as per a December 22, 2010 judgment of the High court, after registering a criminal case and sending the FIR to Magistrate, none can leakout information on investigation and questioning of witness. If this is violated, media and investigation officer have to face consequences, he submitted.

A series of versions had appeared in various newspapers and visual media after the murder. According to the petitioner, this was violation of certain provisions of the Contempt of Court Act.

Chandrasekharan, a former CPI-M leader, was hacked to death in Kozhikode district on May 4 last and some local marxist leaders have been arrested in this connection.