The government has allowed State Police Chief (SPC) Loknath Behera to prosecute Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Mullappally Ramachandran for defamation.
Earlier, Mr. Behera had taken strong exception to a remark attributed to Mr. Ramachandran by a television channel.
The broadcaster had alleged that Mr. Ramachandran had stated that Mr. Behera “is working as if he is CPI(M) branch secretary.”
In a letter to the government, Mr. Behera had averred that the comment “is likely to create grave misunderstanding among the public at large and will also adversely affect the morale of the police force”.
He sought the sanction of the State to prosecute Mr. Ramachandran for defamation under Section 199 (4) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
The government examined the comment purportedly made by Mr. Ramachandran and concluded that the “remark is highly defamatory for a public servant of the rank of Director General of Police and State Police Chief”.
Subsequently, Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Vishwas Mehta, issued the order to prosecute Mr. Ramachandran on August 21.
