KOCHI: The Kerala High Court’s administrative committee has decided not to take any immediate action against the additional district judge whose 17-year-old son was involved in the October 25 Cheranalloor accident that killed a 55-year-old man. The committee examined available materials and decided to defer a decision as the probe is on.
The HC also permitted the police to proceed with the probe against the judge, including questioning him. It directed the police to follow Supreme Court guidelines in ‘Delhi Judicial Service Association v State of Gujarat’ if the judge’s arrest becomes necessary. The guidelines say the district judge or HC, as the case may be, must be informed if a judicial officer of the subordinate judiciary is to be arrested. The family of Jayabalakrishnan, the deceased, met the HC registrar general and demanded strict action against the judge.
The crime branch questioned the judge on Wednesday. He has been summoned again on Thursday. Sources said the judge did not provide satisfactory or clear answers to several questions and maintained that he was unaware that his son had taken the car out. The crime branch also seized a luxury motorcycle and digital devices during a search at his Aluva flat on the day.
Meanwhile, the judge, who has been booked under Section 199 of the Motor Vehicles Act, has moved the HC seeking anticipatory bail.