Kerala High Court grants bail to leader of Kochi-based political outfit

PTI, Feb 28, 2023, 5:52 PM IST

The Kerala High Court has granted bail to a leader of a political outfit based in the city after he gave an undertaking that he would not default in appearing before it on all days when a criminal contempt case against him is posted for trial.

A bench of Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Mohammed Nias C P granted bail to contemnor Nipun Cherian, the leader of a city-based political outfit called V-4 People.

The court also considered his undertaking that he would not insist on his party workers and others accompanying him into the court premises.

He is facing trial for criminal contempt of court for making serious allegations of corruption against Kerala High Court judge Justice N Nagaresh with regard to a judgment passed by him.

He was arrested and produced before the court on Monday by the police acting on a remand order of the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court – II, Kochi.

”Since the respondent contemnor has now agreed to appear before this Court to defend the Contempt of Court proceedings against him, we deem it appropriate to enlarge him on bail, by treating his affidavit as a self-bond for his attendance as provided in Rule 11(v) of the Contempt of Courts (High Court of Kerala) Rules under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, but subject to…conditions…,” the court said in its order dated February 27. Cherian had made the allegations in a speech that was uploaded and published in the Facebook page of ‘V4 Kochi’ in October last year.

The bench had on February 21 issued the non-bailable warrant annoyed over his ”wilful and continued absence” from the court during the trial in the matter.