KOCHI: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the alleged custodial death of S R Sreejith of Varapuzha will include former North Paravur CI Crispin Sam as an accused in the case.
According to the officers, the SIT had found serious procedural lapses on the part of the CI in recording the arrest of Sreejith and co-accused. Based on the findings, the investigators also sought a legal opinion with regard to arraigning the CI in the case.
The officers said though murder charges will not stand against the officer, a case could be registered against him by slapping charges of illegal detention and tampering with the evidence.
Meanwhile, the investigation conducted so far has found the police had wrongly included Sreejith in the list of the suspects. As per the original complaint filed on April 6, Vineesh had mentioned only the names of Vipin, Vinchu, Thulasidas, Vinu, Ajith and Sarath and “eight others who could be identified on sight".
However, the cops refuted media reports quoting Vineesh and said they arrested Sreejith and Sajith while acting on a detailed statement by Vineesh. To corroborate the claim, they also released a signed statement given by the complainant to the Varapuzha police a day after their arrests, which included the names of S R Sreejith and his brother.
The then Rural SP A V George had also dismissed the claims regarding the arrest of Sreejith as a case of mistaken identity. So far, SI G S Deepak and three civil police officers, who were members of the disbanded Rural Tiger Force, have been arrested in the case.