Kochi, Nov 3: The Kochi City Cyber Police have initiated legal action against 18 social media handles for allegedly disclosing the identity of the 17-year-old accused in the Cheranalloor luxury car crash case, Mirror Now reported. The handles include social media influencers and digital channels that allegedly shared information prohibited under child protection laws. The action follows a direct order of the Ernakulam Additional District and Sessions Court, which had expressed concern over content identifying the minor continuing to circulate, and had asked the cyber police to identify and remove such posts and file a report on the action taken.

Source: Mirror Now

Police have registered the case under Section 74 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, which bars disclosure of a child's identity, and Section 351 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to criminal intimidation, Mirror Now reported. A police official was reported as saying the intimidation charge was added because of the specific nature and content of several posts identified during the investigation. If the allegations are proved, Section 74 carries up to six months' imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 2 lakh (yaani two lakh rupees). The allegations against the account holders have not been proved, and the minor is not being named in line with the law.

Source: Mirror Now

18Social media handles against which legal action has been initiated
Section 74Juvenile Justice Act provision invoked over the alleged identity disclosure
November 5Date the court will pronounce orders on the bail-cancellation pleas
Rs 2 lakhMaximum fine under Section 74 if the allegations are proved

Bail verdict reserved for November 5

In the connected proceedings, Additional Sessions Judge Kavitha Gangadharan on Monday (November 2) reserved the verdict on the appeals by the State and the victim's family challenging the Juvenile Justice Board's grant of bail to the minor, after hearing the public prosecutor, the victim family's counsel and the counsel for the child in conflict with law, Live Law reported. The orders will be pronounced on Thursday, November 5. The court has directed that further proceedings be held in camera and that no party disclose anything that could reveal the minor's identity. The case diary was produced before the court, and the cyber police submitted an action-taken report; the court noted that the cyber police had applied to the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Ernakulam, for appropriate orders since the alleged offences are non-cognizable.

Source: Live Law

The underlying case dates to the early hours of October 25, when, according to the FIR registered by Cheranalloor Police, a Mercedes-Benz car rammed the scooter ridden by 55-year-old street food vendor Jayabalakrishnan as he was returning home, killing him. Police initially registered offences under Section 106 of the BNS and later added Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder); the minor was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board, which released him on bail — the grant now under challenge. Police have also booked the minor's father, the car's registered owner and a sitting District Judge, who has been granted interim protection from arrest by the Kerala High Court, Live Law reported. All allegations in the case remain to be proved in court.