Court issues summons to P J Joseph

KOCHI: The Thodupuzha Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Saturday issued summons to Water Resources Minister P J Joseph in the controversial SMS case. The minister has to appear before the court on October 22.  Magistrate C R Ravichandar also observed that  prima facie there was evidence against Joseph. The case is that Surabhi Das of  Thodupuzha  received blank messages and sexually abusive calls from the mobile phone allegedly used by Joseph, when  he was the MLA representing Thodupuzha in the last term.  The court ordered to issue summons on the basis of witness statements. The private complainant Surabhi Das, her husband Jaymon, E S Bijimol, Peermedu MLA, Ramesh Raj, BSNL Deputy General Manager, Radio planning, Panampally nagar, T P Nandakumar, editor, Crime Magazine  had earlier deposed before the court.The counsel for the complainant, Advocate Sanal C. Raj,  submitted that Surabhi received constant threats and sexually abusive SMS and calls from the mobile phone used by the minister