Court rejects clean chit given to gunmen; order for further investigation; evidence available for assault

ALAPPUZHA: Alappuzha Judicial First Class Magistrate Shana Begum has ordered a further probe into the case in which Youth Congress activists were assaulted by the chief minister's security officials. The court observed that there was evidence in the incident. The magistrate rejected the district crime branch report that the case should be dismissed. Gunman Anil Kalliyoor and security officer Sandeep are the accused in the case. The district crime branch had given a clean chit to the gunmen stating that there was no evidence of assault. The order for further investigation is based on the arguments and evidences in the objection petition filed by the Youth Congress against this.

The crime branch took a bizarre stand that the visuals of the assault were not available even though the visuals, including the live video, went viral on television channels and social media. The Crime Branch DySP had mentioned in the report that the media did not give the visuals despite asking and that there was no assault in the visuals received. Protests and assaults took place at the Alappuzha General Hospital junction on December 15, when the bus carrying the chief minister and other ministers was passing by. Youth Congress leader Ajay Jewel Kuriakose and KSU district president AD Thomas sustained serious injuries on their head and limbs. Advocate P Roy appeared for the complainants in the court.

Crime branch succumbed to pressure

• The court took into account the arguments including that the crime branch report, which succumbed to the influence of political administration, would not stand legally or administratively.
• The remarks that slogans were raised against the vehicle in which the Chief Minister was travelling and that as the accused performed their official duties, they were entitled to protection under Section 113(1) of the Kerala Police Act, are untrue.
• The finding that the incident is factually incorrect even after the visuals have gone viral, is like fooling the community that saw the visuals.
• Ignoring the visuals produced in pen drive, the investigating officer avoided the complainants by saying that the police would consider the visuals from the cameras at the spot.
• In the photo and video evidence produced in the court, it is clear that there was nothing to endanger the life of the Chief Minister and that it was a lie that the bus was hit in the area where the Chief Minister was sitting.
• Hit on the head despite the possibility of death.