Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan defended his honorary legal advisor MK Damodaran.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today defended his honorary legal advisor MK Damodaran, who appeared for the controversial lottery baron Santiago Martin in a case in High Court.
He was replying to an allegation in this regard raised by opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala in the state Assembly.
"Damodaran is serving as the legal advisor of the CM without accepting any remuneration. There is no bar on him to take up any brief," he said.
Taking on the chief minister, Mr Chennithala, during a submission, said the principal legal advisor of chief minister was appearing on behalf of criminals.
"He is now appearing for Martin who was shunted out of Kerala by the previous UDF government, "He said and demanded to know what was the guarantee that the lawyer would not appear for the accused in the sensational Dalit woman murder case in Perumbavoor.
The chief minister's statement assumes significance as the Congress-led UDF opposition and KPCC president VM Sudheeran in particular had launched a scathing attack on him over the issue in the past few days.
Mr Sudheeran had alleged that Mr Damodaran appearing for Mr Martin was a clear indication that the LDF government has a link with the lottery king.
The leader had said it was surprising that LDF was giving more importance to Mr Martin than to the state and the people.
It also exposed the LDF government's hollowness that it was against corruption, Mr Sudheeran alleged.
Mr Damodaran recently appeared in the High Court on behalf of Mr Martin in a case relating to attaching his assets.