SC stays proceedings against Kerala Minister till further orders

New Delhi, May 16 (UNI) The Supreme Court today stayed till further orders the contempt of court proceedings initiated by the Kerala High Court against State Minister P Mohammed Kutty for derogatory remarks against the judiciary.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran issued notices to the Registrar General, Kerala High Court, on whose complaint the contempt of court proceedings were initiated, and to the newspaper which reported his statement made on January 30, 2007 at Kalikat University's annual function.

The High Court had rejected the unconditional apology tendered by Mr Kutty and had ordered framing of charges against him.

The Left Front government minister appealed to the Supreme Court against the High Court order.

Mr Kutty's counsel submitted before the apex court that the statement made by him was misinterpreted.

What the minister really wanted to convey was that the high cost of litigation has denied common man access to justice, the counsel said.

At the function, the minister had said, ''It is ridiculous that the courts have degraded to the level of rendering judgements on the weight of currency notes''.

The petitioner has also tendered an unconditional apology to the apex court.

UNI