KOCHI: In a clear indication that more police officers would face the heat of the probe in the sensational Varapuzha custodial death case, the Special Investigation Team named four more police officers as accused in the case.
According to the officers, ASI Jayanandan, ASI Santhosh Baby, Civil Police Officers Sunil Kumar and Sreeraj, who were on duty at Varapuzha police station on April 6, the day on which the deceased Sreejith was taken into custody. The four were slapped with charges of illegal detention. The special investigation team has submitted a report in this regard before North Paravur Judicial First Class Magistrate Court.
So far, five police officers including former CI Crispin Sam and former Varapuzha SI G S Deepak were arrested in the case. Deepak and three civil police officers, who were part of the disbanded Rural Tiger Force, were slapped with sections 302 (attempt to murder) and 342 (wrongful confinement) of IPC. All the accused have given the statement that they acted as per the direction of then Rural SP A V George.
Earlier, the former North Paravur CI, the fifth accused, had told the investigators that he had visited Varappuzha on a direction by George. Further, the investigation is also looking into whether he had attempted to protect the three members of the now-defunct Rural Tiger Force, following the finding that they took a wrong person into custody.
The Crime Branch Team interrogated former Rural SP A V George in connection with the case on Wednesday.