Kochi commissioner transferred after fatal Mercedes crash investigation lapses (Img: Dynamite News)
New Delhi: Kochi City Police Commissioner Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar has been transferred amid mounting criticism of the police investigation into a fatal crash involving a Mercedes-Benz allegedly driven by the 17-year-old son of an additional district judge. The accident claimed the life of a 55-year-old man and triggered allegations of attempts to weaken the case.
The transfer follows an admission by Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala that there were lapses in the investigation. The minister has promised action against officials found responsible, while four police personnel have already been suspended.
The crash occurred in Kochi on October 25, when the Mercedes rammed a scooter, killing Jayabalakrishnan, 55. The victim’s family has alleged a conspiracy to sabotage the investigation, while the teenager’s repeated release on bail has sparked protests and raised questions about police accountability.
Also Read: BJP-JD(S) Sweep All Four Karnataka MLC Seats, Congress Suffers Major Setback
On Tuesday, police searched the residence of the additional district judge and collected CCTV footage as part of the investigation. The search came a day after the judge was named an accused under Section 199A of the Motor Vehicles Act, which makes a juvenile’s guardian or the vehicle’s registered owner liable for certain offences committed by a minor.
The Kerala High Court had granted permission for the judge to be arraigned as an accused on Monday.
Addressing the state Assembly on Tuesday, Chennithala said the police had initially failed to invoke the appropriate legal provision relating to culpable homicide.
He said he contacted the Director General of Police after learning about the incident and instructed Additional Superintendent of Police P Vijayan to visit the victim’s family.
Based on the officer’s report, four personnel were suspended: a Circle Inspector, a Station House Officer, a Grade Sub-Inspector and an Assistant Civil Police Officer.
The minister also criticised the Juvenile Justice Board for granting bail to the teenager before the victim’s body was laid to rest. The handling of the case triggered a political confrontation in the Assembly, with the opposition staging a walkout.
Police initially booked the teenager under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for causing death by negligence and released him on station bail on Sunday evening.
However, protests by the victim’s family outside Cheranalloor police station led to his detention again. He was subsequently booked under Section 105 of the BNS for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The teenager was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board, which granted him bail again, prompting further criticism of the authorities’ handling of the case.
Police said a video recovered from the teenager showed the Mercedes travelling at around 104 kmph. The footage is among the material being examined as investigators establish the circumstances of the crash.
Given the sensitivity of the case and concerns over the initial investigation, the probe has been transferred to the District Crime Branch.
The commissioner’s transfer, the suspensions and the action against the judge mark a series of developments as authorities face growing pressure to ensure an impartial investigation and accountability in the death of Jayabalakrishnan.
