Former advocate general MK Damodaran passes away

MK Damodaran died at a private hospital in Kochi, where he was undergoing treatment for respiratory ailment Damodaran had functioned as advocate general during the LDF regime headed by E K Nayanar from 1996-2001

Former Kerala advocate general MK Damodaran passed away in Kochi on Wednesday after a prolonged respiratory illness. He was 70.

Damodaran died at a private hospital in the city, where he was undergoing treatment for nearly a month for respiratory ailment, the family said. He leaves behind wife and a daughter. 

A senior advocate of the Kerala High Court, Damodaran had functioned as advocate general during the LDF regime headed by E K Nayanar from 1996-2001. Damodaran was imprisoned in 1975-77 during the Emergency.

Condoling his death, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Damodaran had always stood for the people's cause. Recalling his stint as AG, Pinarayi said Damodaran's services would always be remembered. 

"As far as I am concerned, I have lost a close friend. He functioned with social commitment inside and outside the court," the CM said in a statement in Thiruvananthapuram. 

The ruling LDF government had initiated steps to appoint Damodaran as the legal advisor to the Chief Minister after it came to power last year.

However, the move was given up following protest by the Congress, which had referred to Damodaran's appearance for controversial lottery baron Santiago Martin and some quarry owners in different cases in the High Court.