Fake case against tribal youth; HC rejects anticipatory bail to forest officers

KOCHI: High Court rejected the anticipatory bail plea of the first three accused forest officers involved in the fake case against tribal youth Sarun Saji. Immediately after the HC decision, Forest Section Officer V Anilkumar and Beat forest officer V C Lenin were arrested.

The incident happened on September 20, 2022, at the Vanmavu checkpost inside the Idukki wildlife sanctuary. Sarun Saji passed the checkpost in an autorickshaw but was caught by officers who claimed the tribal youth tried eloping with wild carcasses from the forest.

On December 5, 2022, Sarun reached Upputhara police station and filed a complaint against the officers for planting the case and abusing him with casteist slurs to brutal torture that came physically. Earlier, the accused officers approached a special court to allow bail after police registered a case invoking sections of attack against SC/ST people. The court quashed the plea which forced the officers to approach HC.