UDF leaders, including former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who took out a mass protest metro travel the next day of launching the service in Kochi, were acquitted by a trial court here on Tuesday.
The allegation was that the UDF leaders and workers had entered the metro train en mass from Aluva station on June 20, 2017, and caused inconvenience to other passengers by shouting slogans. It was also alleged that the UDF workers had caused damage to public property during the protest travel.
The order was passed by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate K.V. Naina.
Charges
The police had invoked the provisions of unlawful assembly, rioting and being members of unlawful assembly besides the provisions of the Metro Railway (Operation & Maintenance) Act against the accused.
However, the prosecution failed to prove the allegations against the accused, said Roshan D. Alexander, the counsel for Mr. Chandy.
The UDF leaders took out the travel protesting against the government stand of not inviting the leaders to the launch of the metro service, he said.
Besides Mr. Chandy, the court acquitted Ramesh Chennithala, V.D. Satheesan, M.M. Hassan, Aaryadan Muhammed, K. Babu and a few others from the case.
