Mini Cooper accident:  Defence questions eyewitness statement, heated arguments in court over bail

KOCHI: The Angamaly Magistrate Court will pronounce its verdict tomorrow on the bail pleas of the accused in the Mini Cooper accident case in Nedumbassery, which claimed the lives of three youngsters. Arguments in the case concluded on Friday, but the court deferred its decision to tomorrow. The hearing witnessed heated arguments between the defence and the prosecution.

The defence argued that the three victims had invited the accident by travelling on a single scooter. The court questioned whether that justified knocking them down. The defence responded that the victims had violated traffic rules.

"Does that mean they should have been hit? They are dead now. What action can be taken against them?" the court asked.

Advocate Seby Kidangoor, appearing for the accused, also raised doubts about the statement given by a person named Priyad, who was travelling in a vehicle behind the vehicle involved in the accident. He pointed out that Priyad reached the spot only after the accident and was not an eyewitness.

"How could he give the first statement after the accident? Is there any evidence that Priyad witnessed the incident before giving the statement? There are doubts over this," the defence counsel argued.

The defence further alleged that the police had not investigated how the accused and the victims reached the accident spot. It also pointed out that there was no eyewitness statement confirming how the accident occurred.

"Nobody knows what lies behind this case," the defence counsel said, alleging that a major conspiracy was being orchestrated against the accused. The lawyer also reiterated the doubts surrounding Priyad's statement.

Meanwhile, the lawyer representing the family of the deceased Gopika told the court that Suhail, the main accused, had allegedly said after the accident, "My father will take care of the case." The lawyer urged the court to examine whether the accused's father had intervened in or settled any previous cases.