The above three Crl.M.Cs are filed by different accused in C.C.No.675/2007 pending before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Thiruvananthapuram. Crl.M.C.No.4159/2003 is preferred by the Ist accused in the above case and Crl.M.C.No.5631/2003 is preferred by the 3rd accused whereas Crl.M.C.No.755/2004 is filed by the 2nd accused in the same case. Since these Crl.M.Cs are arising out of the same case, all the petitioners are accused in the very same case and factual background and arguments are more or less same, these Crl.M.Cs are heard together and being disposed of by this common order.

2. As stated earlier, the petitioners herein are accused in C.C.No.675/2007 which is a case instituted upon a private complaint for the offence punishable under section 500 read with section 34 of I.P.C. The above private complaint is preferred by one G. Kamalamma who is the Ist respondent in these Crl.M.Cs. The allegations in the complaint can be summarized as follows: The Ist accused is the Chief Editor of the Malayalam Daily Newspaper `Desabhimani, Trivandrum, printed and published at Trivandrum. Accused No.2 is the Editor of the Trivandrum edition of the said newspaper and accus