HC orders retrial against ex-MLA on forged document case

Kochi, May 21 (UNI) The Kerala High Court today quashed the order issued by the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Thiruvananthapuram, granting permission to withdraw the forged document case against Former MLA Shobhana George and others and directed the lower court to conduct a retrial of the case.

Mr Justice V Ramakumar also observed the public prosecutor had an executive function while withdrawing a case and was not expected to act only in accordance with the dictates of the government.

The forged document case relates to a fake report sent in the name of the then DGP (Investigations) by the then Chief Minister A K Antony, informing him that then Minister K V Thomas was having connections in an hawala deal in which Rs 336 crore was involved.

The document was later found to be forged and the accused in the case included the then Chengannor MLA Shobhana George. Other accused were Chandramohan, Jayachandran, Anil P Sreerangam, T T Praveen, V O Anilkumar and Sukumaan.

The police had filed the final report against all the accused in the case.

Meanwhile, the government had filed an application seeking to withdraw the prosecution, which was allowed by the CJM court, Thiruvananthapuram, on March 11 this year.

This was challenged by journalist T P Nandakumar before the High Court.

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