Thiruvananthapuram, 28 Sept (H.S.):The trial in the 2015 Kerala Assembly ruckus case will begin on November 3 before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Thiruvananthapuram, more than 11 years after the incident.

The court is expected to examine its first witness, former Assembly Secretary Sarngadharan. The person who recorded footage of the incident and the engineer who copied the digital video recorder footage are also expected to testify. The government has appointed advocate Santhosh Kumar as special public prosecutor.

The case stems from the disruption of the Assembly on March 13, 2015, when Left Democratic Front legislators protested against then Finance Minister K M Mani’s presentation of the Budget during the United Democratic Front government’s tenure. The protest escalated into a confrontation inside the House.

According to the prosecution, the accused entered the Speaker’s dais and damaged a chair, computers, microphones and electronic panels. The damage to public property was assessed at ₹2,20,093. Charges against the accused include destruction of public property.

The six accused are former ministers V Sivankutty, K T Jaleel and E P Jayarajan, along with K Ajith, K Kunhahammed Master and C K Sadasivan. Ajith later moved from the CPI to the BJP.

The proceedings were delayed by legal challenges over the government’s attempt to withdraw the case. In July 2021, the Supreme Court rejected the appeal to withdraw it and directed the accused to face trial.

The hearing in November will mark the start of witness examination in a case that has remained politically contentious since the scenes in the Assembly drew widespread criticism. The court will consider the testimony and video evidence as it examines the allegations against the former legislators.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman