Court defers arrest of Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala in Titanium case

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday deferred the arrest and interrogation of Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala in the Titanium case. The court, however, refused to stay the investigation.

Senior Counsel S.Sreekumar appeared for Ramesh Chennithala and argued that he was arraigned as accused and he was sought to be proceeded against only because he was president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee.

"It is his definite case that as on date of the alleged incident or other relevant time he was not in fact the president, and that he assumed charge only much later.

This important aspect will have to be considered by the investigating officer in the process of investigation", the court observed.

The court directed that Chennithala's submissions would have to be considered by the investigating officer. The court further observed that in the Vigilance case registered in 2006, the petitioner was not arraigned as accused.

“In such a situation while registering a crime or while making an investigation, the investigating officer or the police officer concerned of the Vigilance would have to think who all can be arraigned as accused and who all need not be,” the court held.

Justice P.Ubaid issued the directive to the Vigilance after Ramesh Chennithala moved the court seeking to quash Thiruvananthapuram Vigilance Court order directing the Vigilance to register an FIR against him, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, PWD Minister V.K.Ebrahim Kunju and six others.