KOCHI: Coming down heavily on the police for reopening a case against former MLA R Selvaraj and his former gunman C J Praveendas, the Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the Parassala police to furnish the reasons for the action.The case related to the destruction of a tent near Selvaraj’s home in 2013 was reopened after the LDF Government came to power. The court said the police officer who reopened the case and the present probe officer will ‘face the consequences’ if a convincing and satisfactory report is not submitted before the court.
“The report submitted by the police officer shows the case was closed as undetectable. It does not satisfactorily state why the case was reopened,” the court observed. It directed a definite report be filed on the material connecting the petitioners with the alleged crime and the material which led to the reopening of the case. Adjourning the matter for two weeks, the court extended the order the petitioners not be arrested till the next date of posting.
The police had registered an FIR under IPC Section 436 after a tent set up near Selvaraj’s house was set ablaze in 2013. The petition submitted in the court said the tent used to house the guards who protected Selvaraj’s house. The services of the guards and the gunman had been granted by the then government after Selvaraj had severed ties with CPM in 2012 and contested and won from Neyyattinkara. Though the government withdrew the guards later, the tent was not removed. Post the fire-related incident, the police had referred the case as undetected and closed the file, the petition said.