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Journalism of Courage
Congress Lok Sabha MP from Kannur K Sudhakaran,who was on Tuesday booked by the Kerala Police for allegedly concealing information in order to commit a crime after his claim that 15 years ago he was witness to a Supreme Court (SC) judge allegedly being bribed,has asserted that he stands by what he had said.
I am not stupid to utter just anything. I am an elected representative of the people and am not known to make unwarranted remarks. Whatever I have said,I stand by it, he told The Indian Express over phone.
Asked if he was ready to disclose the name of the SC judge who had allegedly accepted a bribe of Rs 36 lakh in 1994 to lift a Kerala High Court ban on 21 liquor bar licences in Kerala,Sudhakaran said,I dont want to add to the controversy. If the Supreme Court asks me the name,I will tell it. Otherwise,I dont want to take any name.
Incidentally,the MP has already said he doesnt have any proof to back his allegation.
Reacting to the case filed against him,the Congress MP described it as political and shameful. Everybody knows why the Left government has filed the case. It is a political move and very shameful, he said.
To a question about the statement of Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily,who on Tuesday disapproved of Sudhakarans remarks saying such allegations could make people lose confidence in the judiciary,Sudhakaran said he had done nothing wrong.
What has Mr Moily said? Only that one cannot pass remarks against judiciary that will bring the institution to disrepute. Where have I done so? I have not criticised the judiciary. In fact,I hold the Indian judiciary in the highest esteem as I am myself a member of the legal fraternity and my political existence hinges upon the pro-democracy judgments of the courts. I am not taking on the judiciary, he said.
Earlier in the day,reacting to his party colleagues statement,the Union Law Minister told reporters,You will have to be very careful,whoever it is,be it a minister,MP or anybody. While making comments on people who occupy the highest office,let them not forget that what they are doing is making people lose confidence in those institutions…Individuals are not important,institutions are.
Moily also said he didnt approve of anybody making off the cuff remarks on some personality.
