Kochi
The Kerala High Court has sought the Centre’s response to a public interest litigation challenging the decision to confer the Padma Bhushan on Vellappally Natesan, general secretary of SNDP Yogam.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V M issued notices to the Union government, Natesan, the Kerala government, and the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) after hearing a petition filed by a Kollam-based trust, Sree Narayana Dharma Prabodhana Samrakshna Samithi.
The petitioners argued that Natesan’s selection for the prestigious award is inappropriate as he is currently facing multiple criminal allegations, including an embezzlement case from 2020 and other corruption-related investigations registered by the VACB. The plea also mentioned an abetment to suicide case linked to him.
The petition further stated that since Natesan manages state-funded educational institutions under SNDP Yogam, he could be considered a public servant under the Prevention of Corruption Act. It was argued that ignoring pending criminal matters while selecting award recipients could make the decision appear arbitrary and damage public confidence in such honours.
The court has scheduled the next hearing of the case for March 12. The Central government was represented in court by advocate Jaishankar V Nair.
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