IDUKKI: A court in Idukki on Wednesday discharged an accused K K Sanjeev from the Thekkady Boat Disaster case and ordered further investigation into the mishap that killed 45 tourists on September 30, 2009.
The Judge D Suresh Kumar, Additional Sessions Court-IV, Thodupuzha, on Wednesday discharged K K Sanjeev, senior surveyor of Indian Registrar of Shipping, while hearing the discharge petitions of three others in the case including Sanjeev.
The discharge petitions filed by two others Mathews, forest watcher and Manoj Mathew, Deputy Manager- Mechanical, KTDC were dismissed by the court. The court found that there was no prima facie evidence against Sanjeev.
The court said that the investigating agency should conduct further probe to find out as to whether the director of the Tourism Department and other officials if any, were responsible for the mishap. A report should be filed before the court if there is sufficient ground to array them as accused, the court said.
The court also ordered the investigating agency to file split charges against the remaining six accused in the case. The investigator should specify the charges faced by each accused. Presently, the prosecution has filed combined charges against them.A chargesheet was filed against seven accused Victor Samuel (driver) as first accused, Anees (laskar), Mathews (forest watcher), N A Giri (owner of Vignesh Marine company), K K Sanjeev (senior surveyor) and Manoj Mathew (deputy manager- Mechanical, KTDC) in the JFCM court, Peermedu-II, in March, 2013.
A judicial probe and police investigation were held separately in the case related to the capsizing of the double-decker Jalakanyaka, carrying over 80 tourists about seven kms from Thekkady boat landing centre at about 5 pm.The KTDC owned fibre glass boat was commissioned only on August 17, 2009.
Berg George, additional government pleader and public prosecutor appeared for the prosecution, while advocate Surendran appeared for Sanjeev.