Thiruvananthapuram Mayor sends ₹5 crore defamation notice to CPI(M) leader over signature forgery claim
Synopsis
Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V.V. Rajesh has hit back at a fellow LDF member — CPI(M) councillor S.P. Deepak — with a ₹5 crore defamation notice over public allegations linking the Mayor's office to forged attendance records. The rare intra-LDF legal clash, triggered by a 4 October press conference, signals a serious fracture within the ruling coalition's civic ranks in Kerala's capital.
Key Takeaways
Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V.V.
Rajesh issued a ₹5 crore defamation notice on 8 October 2026 to CPI(M) councillor S.P.
Deepak had alleged that councillor R.
Sugathan's attendance was falsely recorded using a forged signature at meetings on 26 February , 11 March , and 27 April .
Deepak claimed to have obtained the Corporation attendance register via an RTI application revealing the alleged forgery.
Rajesh termed the allegations 'completely false, malicious and baseless' and accused Deepak of holding a press conference on 4 October to damage his reputation.
Deepak has 15 days to comply; failure to do so will trigger civil and criminal proceedings by the Mayor.
Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V.V. Rajesh on Thursday, 8 October 2026, issued a legal notice demanding ₹5 crore in compensation from Communist Party of India (Marxist) councillor and Corporation Left Democratic Front parliamentary party leader S.P. Deepak, over allegations linking him to the purported forgery of a councillor's signature in official Corporation records. The notice, served through advocate Senthil Kumar S., gives Deepak 15 days to comply — failing which, the Mayor has warned of both civil and criminal proceedings.
The Underlying Dispute
The controversy centres on allegations that the attendance of Corporation councillor R. Sugathan — reportedly absent from council meetings held on 26 February, 11 March, and 27 April — was falsely recorded through a forged signature in Corporation registers. Deepak had publicly alleged that the forgery was carried out at the Mayor's office with Rajesh's knowledge and connivance. Deepak also claimed to have obtained a copy of the Corporation attendance register under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, in which he said Sugathan's signature appeared forged.
What the Mayor Says
Rajesh has categorically denied the allegations, terming them 'completely false, malicious and baseless' in the notice. He alleged that Deepak deliberately convened a press conference on 4 October to damage his reputation and undermine the dignity of the mayoral office. The notice further contends that Deepak made the forgery allegation without producing any substantiating material or evidence.
Broader Allegations and Political Dimensions
According to the legal notice, Deepak had also accused Rajesh of conspiring with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to manipulate Corporation proceedings and commit irregularities — a charge Rajesh has rejected. The Mayor alleged that Deepak's statements were widely disseminated through news channels and social media, causing serious damage to his reputation and public standing. Rajesh also contended that the statements were aimed at obstructing the Corporation's development activities under his leadership and could adversely affect staff morale.
What Happens Next
Rajesh has stated that he has maintained a clean political record and that the allegations caused him 'humiliation, mental anguish and loss of reputation.' If Deepak fails to pay the ₹5 crore compensation within the stipulated 15-day window, the Mayor has said he will pursue recovery through due process of law, including costs and expenses. The dispute marks a rare and publicly visible intra-local-government clash within the LDF's own ranks in Thiruvananthapuram, with the outcome likely to reverberate in Kerala's civic political circles.
Point of View
Backed by an RTI-obtained document, cannot be dismissed as mere political noise; if substantiated, it would point to a serious lapse in official record-keeping at the Corporation level. Rajesh's counter-move, framing Deepak's actions as a BJP-RSS conspiracy, appears designed to discredit the messenger without directly addressing the substance of the RTI finding. The 15-day deadline will be a test of whether this dispute is resolved quietly inside LDF backrooms or escalates into a courtroom that forces both sides to produce evidence.
NationPress
8 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V.V. Rajesh issue a defamation notice?
Mayor V.V. Rajesh issued a ₹5 crore defamation notice to CPI(M) councillor S.P. Deepak on 8 October 2026 after Deepak publicly alleged that the Mayor's office was complicit in forging the attendance signature of councillor R. Sugathan in Corporation records. Rajesh has denied all allegations, calling them false and malicious.
What is the signature forgery allegation about?
The allegation concerns the attendance of Corporation councillor R. Sugathan, who was reportedly absent from council meetings on 26 February, 11 March, and 27 April, but whose attendance was allegedly recorded using a forged signature. Deepak claimed to have found evidence of this through an RTI-obtained copy of the Corporation attendance register.
What is S.P. Deepak's role in the Corporation?
S.P. Deepak is a CPI(M) councillor and serves as the Corporation LDF parliamentary party leader in Thiruvananthapuram. He held a press conference on 4 October to publicly air the forgery allegations against the Mayor's office.
What happens if Deepak does not comply with the notice within 15 days?
If Deepak fails to pay the ₹5 crore compensation within 15 days, Mayor Rajesh has warned he will initiate both civil and criminal proceedings and seek recovery of the amount along with legal costs and expenses.
How does this dispute fit into Kerala's political landscape?
The clash is notable because both Rajesh and Deepak belong to the ruling LDF coalition in Kerala. An intra-coalition legal dispute of this nature at the municipal level is rare and signals internal tensions within the LDF's Thiruvananthapuram unit, especially given the allegation that the Mayor conspired with BJP and RSS — charges Rajesh has strongly denied.
