Kochi: The Kerala High Court Division Bench on Tuesday amended the by-law of SN Trust to keep away office bearers whose names appear as accused in cheating cases and lawsuits regarding trust properties. The court also said that such people should not be office bearers till they are acquitted.

As per legal experts, the latest change was not focusing on any individual. Rather, the court has made changes to the law concerning all office bearers. However, in the changed scenario, the positions of those including SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan will be affected, experts opine.

Judges Muhammed Mushtaq and Shobha Annamma Eapen gave the ruling.

Case filed by former trust member
The court changed the by-law in a case filed by former trust member Adv Cherunniyoor Jayaprakash. He argued that to ensure credibility and transparency of the trust, such a change is important. He also argued that if those accused in criminal cases are made office bearers, efficient proceedings of cases will not be possible.

The trust, in turn, argued that anyone can file a criminal case against anybody, and if fake cases are filed, it can affect the administration.

Responding to the verdict, Vellappally said the order affects all trustees and not just him. "It will affect all trustees. A name figured as accused in a criminal case isn't what matters. You will have to stay away only if a chargesheet is filed and the verdict on the case is given by the district court. If someone is punished in criminal cases, they will have to be removed from the post. Even the PM can be named as an accused in many cases. If you start removing all people named in cases, will there be an MLA left in the state? Even those who were punished are holding various posts," he added.

Vellappally said that regarding his case, only a complaint exists. "There is an attempt to alienate me and name me a thief. There are a few who want my position. They have been trying to punish me by naming me in a criminal case, for something that happened 14 years ago. Some people don't want me to be the secretary again. People vote me in as I am one of them. Nobody has pushed me out of the position," he added.

Tharoor against scheduled castes
Vellapally also spoke to the media about Shashi Tharoor and said Thiruvananthapuram MP only has 15 years of experience in politics. "He is against the lower casts and scheduled tribes. There are many like Ramesh Chennithala who worked for Congress from a young age. People now don't give votes just because a social leader or religious leader said so. There is a feeling that BJP will get the rule again and that's why we say Kerala's MPs should focus on state politics. 'Exported goods' like Tharoor won't work here. It will be good for him to go North. K Muraleedharan is supporting Tharoor because he knows that he won't be the CM. Why can't those from lower castes be made CM?” he said.