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The Kerala High Court has dismissed a plea filed by former Congress leader and former PSC member Simmy Rose Bell John seeking police protection against alleged threats from Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan and another person.
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, in an order passed on August 17, said there was no material on record to establish that Simmy was facing any threat from the respondents. The court also noted that an alleged attack on her son in Delhi could not be linked to Satheesan or the other respondent.
Simmy had approached the High Court seeking protection to her life and property from any threat allegedly posed by VD Ajayakumar and Satheesan, who was the Leader of Opposition when the petition was filed and is referred to as the Chief Minister in the judgment.
According to her petition, Satheesan had allegedly been responsible for the expulsion of several veteran politicians from the Ernakulam district, including her, without valid or justifiable reasons. She claimed that this had led her to apprehend a threat to her life.
She also cited an alleged attack on her son in Delhi, claiming that it had taken place at the instance of Satheesan.
However, the police told the court that an enquiry conducted based on her complaint did not reveal any serious or existing threat against her. The police also said that an assault involving one of her associates was related to a family dispute.
Regarding the alleged attack on her son, the police said there were no verifiable records of such an incident. It also told the court that Simmy had declined to provide specific details about the alleged attack during the enquiry.
The High Court noted that no crime had been registered in connection with the alleged attack in Delhi and that there was no material to show that a complaint had been filed by her son.
“Merely because some attack was made against the petitioner's son at Delhi, in the absence of any material to connect the said attack to respondents 4 and 5, it is not proper for this Court to direct grant of police protection,” the court said.
The court further observed that Simmy was a former All India Congress Committee member and former PSC member who had subsequently been expelled from the party, allegedly at the instance of Satheesan.
“This is an indication that there could be a personal grudge against the 5th respondent,” the court observed.
However, the court said that in the absence of material indicating any threat from Satheesan or Ajayakumar, and considering the police enquiry, granting special police protection was not warranted.
“Petitioner alleges that she is facing threats from respondents 4 and 5. However no materials have been produced or placed on record to indicate an instance of any such threats,” the court said.
Finding no merit in the petition, the High Court dismissed it.