Lawyers Forum files contempt of court case against MLA Jaleel for making scandalizing public remarks against Lokayukta

The Indian Lawyers Congress, a lawyers forum affiliated to the Congress party, on Monday filed a contempt of court petition before the Lokayukta against former Kerala minister K T Jaleel for making ''many disparaging and scandalizing public remarks'' against the Ombudsman at various places.

Lawyers Congress Thiruvananthapuram district president Rajeev Charachira has also filed a complaint before the state police chief seeking action against Jaleel, alleging that the social media posts of the LDF MLA amounts to insulting the Lokayukta.

The petitioner said he moved contempt of court plea as Jaleel's Facebook posts against the Lokayukta Cyriac Joseph were with an ill intention to malign the quasi-judicial body and to shake its foundation.

Jaleel, who was forced to quit as the state Higher Education minister in April last year from the previous Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet after the Lokayukta held he had ''abused'' his position as a public servant to obtain a favour for a relative, took to Facebook to the make the remarks.

The Lokayukta has not responded to the allegations of Jaleel but the opposition Congress and the BJP slammed the Left MLA, accusing him of making an attempt to destabilise the agency.

Jaleel levelled serious allegations against the Lokayukta amid a row in the state over the LDF government's move to curb the powers of the agency by promulgating an ordinance.