Nedumbassery accident: accused remanded in Borstal School as per magistrate’s order, say police

Even as controversy rages over the remanding of key accused Suhail Sajeev, 19, in the Nedumbassery drunk-driving case that claimed three lives, to the Borstal School, Kakkanad, the Ernakulam Rural Police, which is probing the case, maintained that they acted in accordance with the remand order issued by the magistrate concerned.

The Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-I, Angamaly, remanded Suhail and the co-accused to 14 days in judicial custody. Allegations of preferential treatment being extended to the accused, who hails from an influential family, have also emerged as a major point of discussion on social media.

Addressing a press conference at the rural police headquarters in Aluva on Tuesday, District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural) K.S. Sudarsan said criticism of the police, which had done exceptional work in handling the case, was misplaced, especially since the order specifically directed that the accused be remanded in the Borstal School.

He cited Section 324 of the Kerala Prison Rules, which stipulates that steps should be taken to transfer prisoners below 21 years of age to Borstal Schools in order to prevent their character from being adversely influenced through association with prisoners belonging to other categories. The provision applies to young accused even in murder cases, Mr. Sudarsan said.

Lawyer Manu Tom said since the accused did not come under the definition of a juvenile, he would ordinarily have been remanded in a regular prison. “However, such a decision may have been taken based on Prison Rules or administrative convenience. The transfer of prisoners from sub-jails or the Kakkanad district jail to other prisons owing to crowding or medical reasons is quite common,” he said.

The district leadership of the CPI(M) has accused the State government of intervening to sabotage the case. “The police are attempting to derail the case by extending support to the accused. There was a deliberate delay in registering the FIR. The FIR neither named the accused nor mentioned that he was heavily intoxicated, and instead referred only to the registration number of the car,” said party district secretary S. Satish.

Allegedly, a person from Alappuzha with considerable influence within the government arrived at the police station and intervened in the matter. The police should disclose the identities of those who visited the accused while he was in custody. The reported statement of the accused that his father will take care of everything points to the influence being exercised in the case, Mr. Satish said.