KOCHI: For 12 long years, a family in Nariampara, Idukki, has lived dangling between hope and despair, waiting for answers about a loved one who vanished without a trace. Every complaint, representation and plea made out to authorities has, they say, yielded little more than assurances, while the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Subash, who was 29 years old then, has only deepened.
Alleging that crucial leads were ignored and that modern forensic methods were never employed, Sajeev S, the missing man’s brother, has now approached the Kerala High Court, seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or, alternatively, the constitution of a special investigation team to trace Subash, who has been missing since April 22, 2014.
According to the petition filed by Sajeev, Kattappana police registered a case immediately after the disappearance. “Even after 12 years, police have made no progress. The family has completely lost confidence in the investigation conducted by the state police. The prolonged delay, failure to investigate specific leads furnished by the petitioner, and omission to employ modern forensic methods have resulted in the disappearance remaining unresolved for over a decade,” the petition said.
According to Sajeev, there were serious differences of opinion within the family over ancestral property and related issues. He and other family members suspect that certain close relatives, with whom the family had long-standing disputes, were responsible for Subash’s disappearance.
“The circumstances surrounding the disappearance, viewed in the light of the subsequent conduct of close relatives residing adjacent to the family house from where Subash went missing, rule out the possibility of a voluntary disappearance and strongly indicate the commission of a cognisable offence,” the petition states.
The petitioner further said that during the course of his own inquiries and based on information gathered from various sources, he developed a strong and reasonable belief that his brother was murdered and that his body was clandestinely buried in the adjoining family property.
According to the petition, Sajeev repeatedly brought this specific information to the notice of investigating authorities and requested them to conduct a scientific search of the property.
However, no steps were taken to verify the information using modern investigative methods or forensic assistance despite his repeated requests and demands.