Case against Pillai, 209 others

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court here has charged a case under Section 86 of the jail rules  against former minister R Balakrishna Pillai and  209 others, including  some high-profile political figures, who had talked to him on the mobile phone while he was undergoing rigorous imprisonment in the Edamalayar graft case.ACJM V P Indira Devi asked all, including  Balakrishna Pillai, his minister son K B Ganesh Kumar,  KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala, NSS General Secretary G Sukumaran Nair, Kodikkunnil Suresh MP, Chief Minister’s political secretary K S Vasudeva Sharma, Pillai’s son-in-law and former Additional Chief Secretary T Balakrishnan, Congress leader Simi Rosebell John and a few  mediapersons, to appear in the court on May 5.The   petition was filed by Joy Kaitharath, an activist. Police officials in the list include then Ernakulam Range IG, Thiruvananthapuram Range IG, Kollam ACP, Punalur DySP,  Ambalappuzha CI and Vaikom SI.The case against Pillai is under Section 86(2), which is liable for imprisonment for a maximum period of two years or fine not exceeding `10,000 or  both, if found guilty. The listed 209 persons are charged under 86(1) which is liable for  imprisonment for one year or a fine not exceeding `10,000 or  both.According to the report submitted in the court, Pillai’s phone had as many as 4,963 calls between May 1 and October 24, out of which 3,123 were incoming and 1,840 outgoing.