Four Kerala Police personnel have been suspended for serious lapses in the investigation into the fatal Cheranalloor road accident near Kochi on October 25, in which a 17-year-old, the son of an Additional Sessions Judge, allegedly drove a Mercedes-Benz into a scooter, killing Jayabalakrishnan, 55, a roadside eatery owner who was returning home in the early hours.
Source: Nation Press (IANS)
The suspended personnel are Circle Inspector Shyam Kumar, Station House Officer Viswajith, Grade Sub-Inspector Manoj and Civil Police Officer Arunjith. The action came hours after Additional Director General of Police P. Vijayan arrived in Kochi, inspected the accident site, visited the home of the deceased and held consultations with the probe team.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala had on Tuesday publicly acknowledged in the Kerala Assembly that the police made mistakes in handling the case — a rare official admission that followed widespread criticism, protests and political pressure over what critics called differential treatment in a case involving the family of a judicial officer.
What happened on Container Road
The crash occurred at around 2.20 am on October 25 on Container Road in Cheranalloor, near Kochi. According to police, the Mercedes-Benz allegedly driven by the judge's minor son struck Jayabalakrishnan's scooter as he was heading home after shutting his roadside eatery, and he died as a result of the collision. The allegations against the minor are being dealt with through the juvenile justice system, and he has not been named.
Police initially registered a case of rash driving and causing death by negligence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Investigators subsequently added Section 105 of the BNS, which deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder — a significantly more serious charge.
The Kochi City Police have also booked the Additional Sessions Judge, who is posted at a court in Irinjalakuda in Thrissur district, as an accused under Section 199A of the Motor Vehicles Act, which holds a vehicle owner or guardian accountable when a minor commits a motor vehicle offence, subject to statutory exceptions. He is the registered owner of the car. Police have said the proceedings against the judicial officer are being carried out in accordance with Supreme Court guidelines, and that the District Judiciary and the Kerala High Court would also be informed.
Source: Live Law
The Juvenile Justice Board in Ernakulam granted bail to the 17-year-old on Monday. The victim's family, along with several political and youth organisations, had demanded action and accountability, questioning the handling of the case. The suspensions are the latest step in a case that has drawn sustained public attention in Kerala over whether the law is applied equally to influential families.