Kochi: The CPM has concealed from public view the nature of offences charged against its candidate P. Jayarajan in Vatakara.
As per a directive of the election commission, all candidates are required to publish the criminal antecedents of the candidates and other details in newspapers.
The CPM mouthpiece Deshabhimani published on Friday and Saturday the details of the criminal cases pending against each candidate, including the sections of IPC under which the charges were framed, along with a brief description of the nature of offence. But in the case of Mr Jayarajan, the nature of offences was not mentioned.
The column titled Sections of the Acts concerned and a brief description of... offences that appears in a two-page declaration is silent on the offences against Mr. Jayarajan in a total of 10 cases mentioned against him.
In the case of other candidates like P. Rajeev (Ernakulam),. M.B. Rajesh (Palakkad), V.P. Sanu (Malappuram), P.K. Sreemathi (Kannur), K.N. Balagopal (Kollam), A.M. Ariff (Alapuzha) and K.P. Sathish Chandran (Kasargod), the offences were described as “unlawful assembly and creating obstruction to public”.
When it comes to Mr Jayarajan, no such details were given except for the description of the sections of the IPC charged against him. According to the declaration, Mr Jayarajan, former CPM Kannur district secretary, is facing charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Explosive Substance Act in a case pending at the special CBI Court in Ernakulam.
The legal process is still on in nine of the 10 cases. In one case, the first class judicial magistrate court, Kuthuparamba, has awarded him a jail term of two years and five months and a fine of Rs 15,000. An appeal against the verdict is pending before the High Court.
