Kochi, Aug 3 (PTI) A court here on Tuesday acquitted more than two dozen leaders and workers of the Congress-led UDF, including former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, senior Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala and V D Satheesan in the case related to the alleged ruckus in Kochi Metro three years ago.

All of them were acquitted by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Special Court for MPs and MLAs) here in the case registered by police in Aluva on a complaint filed by a Kochi Metro official in 2017, said Advocate Mohammed Siyad, counsel for the UDF leaders.

Chandy and other Congress leaders, who also include UDF convenor M M Hassan, former minister Aryadan Muhammed, Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden, MLAs Shafi Parambil and P C Vishnunath were accused of causing a ruckus in the Kochi Metro during a journey on board the urban rail transport system in the name of a 'Janakeeya Yatra' on June 20, 2017.

The leaders and workers were booked by police for offences under IPC sections 143 (unlawful assembly) and 147 (rioting) of IPC, and 149 besides Section 62 (prohibition of demonstrations upon metro railway) and 64 (penalty for unlawfully entering or remaining onboard Metro) of Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002.

The 'Janakeeya Yatra' between Aluva and Palarivattom, led by Chandy, was held in protest against the alleged neglect of UDF leaders during the inauguration of Kochi Metro.

Congress workers led by Chandy had undertaken a 'protest journey', condemning non-invitation of the senior leader for the Metro inauguration.

An internal probe by KMRL had found violation of the Metro Act by Congress leaders, including Chandy, during whose regime the initiative for the project was taken.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)