KSRTC removes counsel after repeated losses'

Thiruvananthapuram: KSRTC has decided to remove John Mathew, its standing counsel, from the post for repeatedly losing cases related to violation of routes. Even Harish Beeran, the counsel for KSRTC in the Supreme Court, has been replaced. John Mathew has been asked to handover all files relating to cases except those concerning service matters to advocate P. C. Chacko. This was because KSRTC had got setbacks in 12 cases filed by private parties in three months from March 10 to May 16 after Mathew was given charge of high court cases. Mathew or his juniors had represented KSRTC in all these cases.

The decision to shift Mathew from the post was taken by KSRTC MD M. G. Rajamanickyam on the basis of the report submitted by P. N. Hena, the liaison officer of KSRTC in the high court. Mr Hena had also submitted a list of cases in which the high court had disposed or passed interim orders against the corporation after Mr Mathew took charge. However, no reason was given for replacing Mr Beeran with V Giri as the counsel in the Supreme Court. There is speculation that Mr Beeran was removed as he had represented DGP T P Senkumar in the high court in the case against the state government.