Surendran had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) questioning police action in Sabarimala.
File photo of Shobha Surendran speaking at a protest near the CM's residence. (Photo: Twitter/@advssuresh)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shobha Surendran was slapped a fine of Rs 25,000 by the Kerala High Court on Tuesday for misusing the time of the court.
Surendran had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) questioning police action in Sabarimala. Rejecting the petition, the court said it was unnecessary and was being used for “cheap publicity”.
According to reports, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar observed that the petition had “mischievous intentions”.
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Surendran had alleged that the police was harassing pilgrims at Sabarimala. In her petition, she also claimed that an IPS officer had behaved rudely with a Central Minister and a High Court judge.
Reports say that the BJP leader wanted the High Court to direct the Kerala government and the police to furnish the list of devotees arrested after the Supreme Court judgment permitting women entry in Sabarimala. She alleged that the police was registering a large number of false cases following the verdict.
Apologising to the court, Surendran’s advocate offered to withdraw the plea but the court didn’t allow it. The fine will have to be paid to the Kerala Legal Services Authority.
Sabarimala temple has witnessed fierce protests against the 28 September ruling by the Supreme Court allowing the entry of women between the age group of 10 to 50 years inside the Lord Ayyappa shrine.
But not a single woman between the age group has been allowed to enter the temple till date.
The ruling Left front government in Kerala has accused the protestors of attacking pilgrims and journalists who have tried to enter the sanctum sanctorum.
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