Alleged defamatory comments against Home Minister: High Court orders govt. not to take coercive steps against CPI(M) member

The Kerala High Court has directed the State to refrain from taking coercive steps against lawyer and Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] Ernakulam district secretariat member K.S. Arunkumar who was accused of defaming Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala by commenting on his recent foreign trip to the United States on social media.

Justice C.S. Dias further ordered that Mr. Arunkumar must be notified before any questioning for inquiry of offences under the Kerala Police Act (KP Act), 2011.

The court was considering a petition by Mr. Arunkumar, seeking to quash the first information report (FIR) registered against him and all further proceedings related to it. He was charged with offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, for provocation of riots and committing criminal defamation and for harassment under the KP Act.