KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has ordered a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to V K Thajudheen, an NRI who was illegally arrested by police in connection with a gold-robbery case in 2018, resulting in his detention for over 50 days and loss of livelihood.
The Thalassery man had come to Kerala on short leave to conduct his daughter’s marriage. It was during this time that he was falsely implicated in a chain-snatching case, arrested, and placed in judicial custody for a period of 54 days. This ordeal led to an additional 23 days of imprisonment in Qatar for failure to report for duty, ultimately costing him his job.
The court issued its order on a petition filed by Thajudheen, his wife and three children, all residents of Thalassery, seeking damages. Speaking on the development, Thajudheen told TNIE, “The incident robbed me of my health, my wealth, my time, my goodwill, my name, my life… I’m glad that the case has come to an end and in my favour, though my troubles remain.”
Counsel for the petitioners, T Asaf Ali, submitted that on July 11, 2018, while returning home from Thajudheen’s sister’s house, a police team led by P Biju, then sub-inspector of Chakkarakkal police station, flagged down the petitioners’ car at Kadirur, near their residence.
The petitioners were asked to assist the police in freeing their jeep, which was stuck in mud, and they complied. However, Thajudheen, who suffered from back pain, remained in the car. Despite being informed of his medical condition, officers Biju and Yogesh allegedly dragged him out of the vehicle and forcibly took photographs of him using their phones.
As the incident occurred around 1.13am, an unusual hour, Thajudheen’s wife and children questioned the police action. In response, the officers allegedly accused him of being a robber and threatened the family with dire consequences if he did not confess. The family was then taken to Chakkarakkal police station in a police vehicle.
At the station, officers showed CCTV footage of a bearded man and accused Thajudheen of snatching a woman’s gold chain while riding a scooter in Choorakkalam. Despite the petitioners raising doubts about the identity of the person in the footage, the police ignored their objections, arrested Thajudheen, and seized his passport.
The court observed that had the officers exercised even minimal care and caution in re-examining the materials collected, particularly after considering the contentions of Thajudheen’s wife and children regarding the impossibility of his involvement, the incident could have been avoided.
A 2023 book, The Stolen Necklace by former TNIE staffer Shevlin Sebastian, depicting the travails of Thajudheen, played its part in the case. “The book was submitted in court to make the point that the incident was no ordinary arrest, but one that gained national media attention.
It presented the telltale circumstances of the incident. And from my understanding, the court did appreciate what it conveyed,” Asaf Ali said.
On this, Thajudheen said, "I’m glad that the book, which tells my story, has helped." He also recalled sitting down with Shevlin to write. “We met every day for six months. He used to come with a flask of hot tea, and we’d sit for hours poring over the notes in discussions. Recalling some memories even brought tears to my eyes,” Thajudheen said.
Later, in 2022, the book was pitched to publishers and received positive responses. “It did well, but I did not imagine it would make its way to my defence in court as well,” he added.
The book, in addition to narrating the incident, also charts Thajudheen life, his aspirations, and how it was all derailed because of a single day. “It’s my life story. My past, present, and a robbed future,” Thajudheen concluded.
Speaking to TNIE on the development, the writer Shevlin said, “I’m so happy. Thajudheen’s whole life had come to a juddering halt because of the incident. This verdict is the first ray of light in his life after so long. I also think it will be a deterrent to police offices and put a stop to their excesses. I’m happy the book played a small role.”
In addition to the Rs 10 lakh, the court granted Rs 1 lakh each to Thajudheen's wife and three children for the mental agony, defamation, and harassment they suffered.
The court also stated that the government is at liberty to recover the compensation amount from the police officers — Biju, Yogesh, and T Unnikrishnan — if it deems fit, after following due procedure.