Kadakampally Surendran’s Lawyer Seeks Restraint on V.D. Satheesan in Defamation Case
Thiruvananthapuram: Adv. Rajagopalan Nair, legal counsel for MLA Kadakampally Surendran, has stated that reports by Manorama News regarding a defamation case filed against Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan are baseless and misleading. The lawyer clarified that the court has been urged to issue an order restraining Satheesan from making further statements related to the gold smuggling controversy or to obtain a solemn assurance from him that such defamatory remarks will not be repeated.
The clarification comes in the wake of a defamation suit filed by Kadakampally Surendran against V.D. Satheesan, alleging that Satheesan has made unsubstantiated accusations concerning Surendran’s involvement in the gold smuggling controversy. Despite repeated claims by Satheesan to possess evidence, his legal team has yet to produce any before the court or present it publicly, while allegedly continuing to malign Surendran’s character.
During court proceedings today, Adv. Rajagopalan Nair argued that defamation constitutes a criminal offense, and the court should not permit the continued commission of such an offense while the primary case is ongoing. He emphasized that the main defamation case could only proceed if the court either issued a directive to prevent Satheesan from making further statements or secured a commitment from him to refrain from repeating the contentious remarks.
Following these submissions, Satheesan’s counsel informed the court that they would consult with their client and provide a response. Consequently, the court adjourned the hearing to December 18. The court indicated that a detailed hearing on the matter would take place if Satheesan fails to provide a written assurance that he will not reiterate his statements.
Adv. Rajagopalan Nair vehemently contested the Manorama News report, asserting its factual inaccuracy and its tendency to mislead the judiciary. He called upon Manorama News to disclose the source of their erroneous information, especially since Satheesan’s lawyer reportedly confirmed that only the actual court proceedings were communicated to V.D. Satheesan, and they were unaware of the incorrect news disseminated by Manorama.
The advocate underscored that fabricating news regarding court events poses a serious challenge to the integrity of the judicial system. He therefore demanded an immediate retraction and apology from Manorama News TV for their purported misrepresentation of the court’s proceedings.