Kerala HC Asks TDB To Reinstate Employee Suspended For ‘Insulting’ Facebook Post Against Kerala CM And Devaswom Minister [Read Judgment]

“Going by the nature of allegations against the petitioner it need not be necessary to keep him outside anymore.”

The Kerala High Court has directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to reinstate a temple employee, who was kept under suspension for his Facebook posts allegedly insulting Chief Minister and the Devaswom Minister.

Justice PV Asha, in a brief order, disposed of a plea by Vishnu RC, who was working as a panchavadyam in Kadinamkulam Sree Mahadeva Temple.

In his Facebook post, Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran had said that Vishnu shared a photoshopped image of himself and the Chief Minister. The minister had also said that criminal proceedings would also be initiated against him.

Vishnu’s lawyer had also made this post by the minister an exhibit to contend that the order of suspension has been issued at the instigation of the Minister for Devaswom.

The judge did not go into the merits of allegations and observed: “As the order of suspension has been passed as early as on 01.10.2018, I don't find it necessary to go into the allegations and counter allegations. Going by the nature of allegations against the petitioner it need not be necessary to keep him outside anymore. A memo of charge is already issued to him on 3.11.2018.”

The court then directed the Devaswom Board to reinstate the employee within a period of one week.