The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the Commissioner of Police, Kollam, to give police protection to Container Santhosh, an approver in the Unnithan murder attempt case, if the petition filed by him seeking protection is genuine.
A Division Bench comprising Justice K M Joseph and Justice K Harilal issued the directive while disposing of a petition filed by Santhosh seeking police protection.
The CBI had made him an approver in the case and a chargesheet was filed on the basis of the submission made by him. The petitioner submitted that he has been facing threat to life and property ever since suspended DySP Abdul Rasheed has been arraigned as an accused in the case on the basis of his statement.
The accused police officer who is out on bail has greater clout with the police officials. Unless he is provided police protection, he would be killed by the henchmen of the accused police officer.
The Police Department also knows that more heads in the department would roll if he deposes before the court. However, the police opposed the plea and submitted that he was summoned to the Kollam East Police station on a complaint filed by Haseena, wife of Rasheed.
According to the complaint, her photograph was morphed and published along with the petitioner’s photograph. So Santhosh’s statement was recorded.
The Assistant Police Commissioner, Kollam, had inquired into the complaint of the petitioner that he was being harassed by the police. Santhosh has a shady character and posting of police constables for his security would be detrimental to the morale of the police force, the police said.