Models's death: Crime branch to start probe from scratch

Police to take up issue of non-functioning surveillance cams at major points with govt
Ansi Kabeer and Anjana Shajan
Ansi Kabeer and Anjana Shajan

KOCHI: The district crime branch which took over the probe into the car accident and death of three persons — including Miss South India Ansi Kabeer and Miss Kerala 2019 first runner-up Anjana Shajan on November 1 — has decided to start from the scratch. As all seven arrested persons, including car driver Abdul Rahman and owner of No 18 Hotel Roy J Valayat, have got bail easily, the new investigation team has decided to check the flaws in the probe.

According to sources, the crime branch team on Friday held a meeting and evaluated the probe carried out by the officers of Palarivattom police station. “We will start from the scratch. The statements of the persons who got bail will be checked and their fresh statements recorded,” a source in the crime branch said.At the same time, the Kochi City police will raise their concerns regarding the non-functioning of surveillance cameras at major junctions in the city with the government. As many as 99 surveillance cameras installed at major points in Kochi city have not been functioning for the last two years. 

“The probe team had to collect feed from private CCTV cameras while probing the accident. The car, which met with the accident, passed through junctions in Fort Kochi, Mattanchery, Thoppumpady, Thevara and Kundannoor where police cameras are installed but not functioning,” an official said.

Meanwhile, the new investigation team will seek legal opinion regarding filing an appeal against the bail granted to all seven arrested persons. It was a disappointment for the investigation team as its application for receiving six, including Roy, was dismissed and the arrested persons were given bail by the judicial first class magistrate. Similarly, Rahman’s custody was granted by the court for only three hours against the police’s petition seeking three days’ custody. 

Apart from Ansi and Anjana, Thrissur native Mohammad Ashiq were inside the car driven by Rahman which hit a two-wheeler and then crashed into a tree on the NH 66 side at Chakkaraparambu. Ansi and Anjana died on the spot, while Ashiq died at a hospital.

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