EPS, Stalin restrained from speaking about Kodanad case

Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan passed the gag order on Tuesday while closing a contempt petition moved by city public prosecutor against Stalin for flouting an earlier oral order of the court.

On April 5, the judge had taken note of the submission made by the State public prosecutor A Natarajan that Stalin was circulating the story concocted by journalist Mathew Samuel along with the accused Sayyan and Manoj implicating the CM for political mileage.

Stalin’s act would affect the pending trial proceedings, wherein already two witnesses have filed a complaint before the concerned police, FIRs registered and investigation pending for tampering witnesses, he had submitted.

Based on this, the judge had given oral instructions and had also directed the prosecutor to record the remarks, if any, made by Stalin and produce the same before the court. On Tuesday, Natarajan produced a video of Stalin’s speeches related to Kodanad heist and murder.

Countering this, Stalin’s counsel P Kumaresan also produced proof that the CM in his campaign meetings was also speaking about the case.

Following this, Justice Ilanthiraiyan wondered why both the CM and opposition leader, who are in no way connected with the incident, were levelling charges against each other, restrained them from speaking about the case.

He also noted that if both continue to speak on the issue it would tantamount to interfering with the judicial process in progress in the case.