The High Court, on Wednesday, issued notice to K Biju, Secretary, Industries Department asking why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him. The court issued the order based on an interlocutory application to initiate contempt proceedings against Biju for issuing a prosecution sanction order in which he made incriminating comments against the High Court. Following criticism, the official issued a revised order and submitted before the High Court on Tuesday. Biju has been directed to appear before the court on Friday.

While considering the case, the court made critical statements against Biju asking if he is fit to continue in service and that his order directly challenged the judiciary. 

In his petition seeking contempt proceedings against Biju, Kadakampally Manoj, the petitioner in the case against bureaucrat Mohammad Hanish, alleged that the portions read out by one of the accused in the case, Chandrasekharan contained disparaging comments about this HC and that he was completely in the dark about the order granting sanction as the copy was not given to him.

The order issued by Biju assumed a defiant tone and noted that the HC had assumed the role of a trial court in having assessed the evidence in the case and the government was constrained to accord the prosecution sanction. In the revised order, the statements criticising the HC were taken off. 

Biju noted in the latest order that on the basis of directions of the High Court, a prima facie case has been made out against K A Ratheesh, former Managing Director, Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation, R Chandrasekharan, former Chairman, KSCDC and Jaimon Joseph, JMJ Traders, Kottayam, warranting their prosecution before a court of law. He also stated that the order was being issued without prejudice to the right of the Government to approach the Supreme Court against the judgements/orders.