Chennithala condemns JJB bail in Cheranalloor crash
Thiruvananthapuram: Home minister Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday came down heavily on the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) for granting bail to a judge’s 17-year-old son, accused in the Cheranalloor crash that killed a 55-year-old scooter rider, even before the victim’s funeral.
“I strongly condemn the decision to grant bail to the accused before the victim’s body was even laid to rest. With the protection of this House, it is my opinion that JJB should not have granted bail under any circumstances,” Chennithala said, replying to an adjournment motion notice moved by A C Moideen in the assembly.
The minister acknowledged police lapses and said the govt was not bound to defend officers who had erred. Action would be taken against those who failed to include the appropriate legal provisions in the FIR and those allegedly involved in deleting accident footage from a mobile phone, he said.
The victim was returning home on Sunday when the Mercedes-Benz , allegedly driven by the minor, hit his scooter. The police took the accused into custody soon after but released him on station bail. After additional sections were invoked on Sunday night, he was taken into custody again and produced before the magistrate in charge of the JJB, who granted him bail on Monday.
Chennithala said local MLA T J Vinod had alerted him to the incident, and on enquiry he found that the police had not initially invoked the provision on culpable homicide . “I immediately called the DGP and told him that this was a very serious matter,” he said.
He said he had directed the police to move a higher court to cancel the bail and instructed ADGP P Vijayan to visit the accident site on Tuesday.
CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam had told him the victim’s family was protesting at the police station, Chennithala said. The family had raised three demands: Action against the police officer who deleted footage of the accident from a mobile phone, action against officials who failed to invoke the appropriate sections of law, and action against the judge whose son was driving the car. He said he had accepted the family’s demands.
The govt could not initiate disciplinary action against the judge, he said. However, a case had been registered against the judge as owner of the vehicle driven by a minor, and the high court registrar had been informed in writing. The high court could examine the matter and take appropriate action, he said.
“Whether the accused is a judge’s son or anybody else’s son, the law is the same,” he said, adding that the next step concerning the judge would be for the high court to decide. He said the government would not allow any offender to escape.
The opposition had sought an adjournment debate on the incident, citing the police investigation, the granting of bail and alleged lapses in handling evidence. However, the speaker refused permission to discuss the motion.
Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan welcomed the home minister’s admission of lapses. However, he said the minister’s assurance of action against the officials responsible must be followed through. The opposition walked out in protest against the govt’s refusal to allow a debate on the issue.
“I strongly condemn the decision to grant bail to the accused before the victim’s body was even laid to rest. With the protection of this House, it is my opinion that JJB should not have granted bail under any circumstances,” Chennithala said, replying to an adjournment motion notice moved by A C Moideen in the assembly.
The minister acknowledged police lapses and said the govt was not bound to defend officers who had erred. Action would be taken against those who failed to include the appropriate legal provisions in the FIR and those allegedly involved in deleting accident footage from a mobile phone, he said.
The victim was returning home on Sunday when the Mercedes-Benz , allegedly driven by the minor, hit his scooter. The police took the accused into custody soon after but released him on station bail. After additional sections were invoked on Sunday night, he was taken into custody again and produced before the magistrate in charge of the JJB, who granted him bail on Monday.
Chennithala said local MLA T J Vinod had alerted him to the incident, and on enquiry he found that the police had not initially invoked the provision on culpable homicide . “I immediately called the DGP and told him that this was a very serious matter,” he said.
He said he had directed the police to move a higher court to cancel the bail and instructed ADGP P Vijayan to visit the accident site on Tuesday.
CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam had told him the victim’s family was protesting at the police station, Chennithala said. The family had raised three demands: Action against the police officer who deleted footage of the accident from a mobile phone, action against officials who failed to invoke the appropriate sections of law, and action against the judge whose son was driving the car. He said he had accepted the family’s demands.
The govt could not initiate disciplinary action against the judge, he said. However, a case had been registered against the judge as owner of the vehicle driven by a minor, and the high court registrar had been informed in writing. The high court could examine the matter and take appropriate action, he said.
“Whether the accused is a judge’s son or anybody else’s son, the law is the same,” he said, adding that the next step concerning the judge would be for the high court to decide. He said the government would not allow any offender to escape.
The opposition had sought an adjournment debate on the incident, citing the police investigation, the granting of bail and alleged lapses in handling evidence. However, the speaker refused permission to discuss the motion.
Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan welcomed the home minister’s admission of lapses. However, he said the minister’s assurance of action against the officials responsible must be followed through. The opposition walked out in protest against the govt’s refusal to allow a debate on the issue.
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