V M Sudheeran sends notice to CM Pinarayi Vijayan for sabotaging Supreme Court ban

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran has slapped a legal notice on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, chief secretary Nalini Netto and excise and NH officials for sabotaging the Supreme Court verdict banning the functioning of liquor outlets near the national and state highways. He has alleged that the government has vested interests in changing the status of NH roads with officials’ connivance. Mr Sudheeran has also sent legal notices against excise and taxes secretary, excise commissioner, PWD secretary and PWD chief engineer, National Highways, through his counsel Kaleeswaram Raj.

“The officials are acting against the Supreme Court verdict with the consent of the LDF government. For that, they are even trying to mislead the Supreme Court. The government's stand is contempt of court and action should be taken against them,” said Mr Sudheeran. He has alleged that despite the SC order, several bar hotels and other vendors had approached the High Court by filing writ petitions in which excise and taxes secretary, excise commissioner, PWD secretary and PWD chief engineer (NH) acted as respondents. He recalled that the bar hotels closed on the basis of the direction of the Supreme Court had later reopened on the strength of the orders issued by the High Court.

"I feel that the interim orders were obtained by the interested parties on account of the fact that the government officials had not placed the correct position regarding the status of the roads before the High Court," added Mr Sudheeran. He has also said that Kazhakoottam - Karod bypass which is on NH 66 and Kesavadasapuram - Pattom road had ceased to be a NH which is a serious deviation from the real facts. He has alleged that the road map of Kerala PWD cannot be redrawn to nullify the apex court's judgment and order.