Kannur: In a defamation case, the Kannur Sub Court has ordered Malayala Manorama to pay Rs 10 lakh to P K Indira, wife of LDF convener E P Jayarajan. Judge B. Karunakaran also ordered payment of Rs 10,000 as court fees.

Indira initiated the defamation suit against the newspaper for its news on September 14, 2020, which read 'E P Jayarajan's wife violates quarantine rules and enters the district bank to open locker'. The news triggered a lot of speculation, particularly after national agencies received photographs showing their son with Swapna Suresh, prime accused in the gold smuggling case at the time. The article raised questions regarding the urgency of her visit to the bank to open a locker.

Indira later clarified that she went to the bank locker to take gold for her grandchild's birthday celebration.