Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday quashed the defamation case filed against Muslim League leader and former MLA K M Shaji on the complaint of CPM leader P Jayarajan. The suit was filed following Shaji's remarks against the imposition of frivolous charges in the murder case of Muslim League worker Ariyil Abdul Shukoor, which Jayarajan claimed were defamatory.

The High Court quashed the proceedings of the First Class Magistrate Court in Kannur. The order came after the High Court allowed the petition filed by Shaji stating that his remarks were made based on public interest.

His remark was that imposing trivial charges would set the wrong precedent, thereby protecting the accused and leading to more crimes. The police should take such cases seriously and file appropriate charges.
The court, however, held that an MLA ensuring law and order was being upheld in a case was not defamatory or wrong.

It was on February 20, 2012, that Shukkoor was murdered in broad daylight, after holding him hostage, at Ariyil near Pattuvam in the district allegedly as an act of retaliation following a group of Muslim Youth League workers blocking the vehicles of CPM leaders P Jayarajan and former legislator T V Rajesh.
Jayarajan was the district secretary of the CPM and Rajesh represented the Kalliasseri Assembly constituency at the time of the incident. The alleged attack had triggered political violence in several parts of Kannur district.