Case against Tharoor cannot be withdrawn, says court

KOCHI: The Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate Court made it clear that the case against Union Minister Shashi Tharoor for disrespecting the national flag cannot be withdrawn. The petitioner Joy Kaitharath made a submission in the court that he did not want to continue with the case as the latter had apologized. But the court refused it. The court posted to April 10 the hearing in the case.

Joy Kaitharath had alleged that Tharoor on December 16, 2008 interrupted the national anthem at a function of the Federal Bank here and had asked the audience to sing it by keeping the right hand on the left side of the chest like the Americans, instead of the attention posture.