A Kerala magistrate has asked Perinthalmanna MLA Najeeb Kanthapuram to show cause why criminal contempt action should not follow over his alleged interference with an advocate commissioner who had been deputed by the court to take possession of a house.
Manjeri: The Chief Judicial Magistrate Court at Manjeri in Kerala’s Malappuram district on Tuesday, September 29, issued a show cause notice under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 to Najeeb Kanthapuram, the MLA representing Perinthalmanna, over allegations that he obstructed the proceedings of a court-appointed advocate commissioner who had reached a house to take possession of it [Chief Judicial Magistrate v. Najeeb Kanthapuram].
Chief Judicial Magistrate Saritha Raveendran directed that the notice be served on the legislator and listed the matter to be called next on October 9.
What the court directed
The matter has been registered as a miscellaneous case, MC No. 781 of 2026, with the Chief Judicial Magistrate shown as the complainant. The order requires the notice to reach the MLA within a week of working days. The operative direction reads:
“Issue show cause notice to the alleged contemnor Sri.Najeeb Kanthapuram MLA, Perinthalmanna Constituency within 7 working days.”
The details of the underlying proceeding in which the advocate commissioner had been appointed, and of the incident at the house, are not set out in the notice. The MLA’s response to the allegation is not yet known.
The provisions invoked
The notice has been issued under Section 2(c)(iii) read with Section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. Section 2(c) defines criminal contempt, and its third limb covers any act that interferes, or tends to interfere with, or obstructs, or tends to obstruct, the administration of justice in any other manner. Obstruction of an officer acting under a court’s commission is the kind of conduct that is commonly examined under this clause.
Section 15 governs how cognizance of criminal contempt is taken. In the case of criminal contempt of a subordinate court, Section 15(2) provides that the High Court may take action on a reference made to it by that subordinate court. The punishment of contempt of subordinate courts lies with the High Court under Section 10 of the Act.
Where the matter stands
The proceedings are at the notice stage. The allegation of obstruction is untested, the MLA is yet to place his version before the court, and no finding has been recorded on whether any contempt was committed. The matter will next be taken up on October 9.
Case Title: Chief Judicial Magistrate v. Najeeb Kanthapuram
Case Number: MC No. 781 of 2026
Court: Chief Judicial Magistrate Saritha Raveendran, Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Manjeri
Date of Order: September 29, 2026