KOCHI: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the Varapuzha custodial death of Sreejith is likely to record the statements of former Ernakulam Rural SP A V George and Aluva DySP K B Prabhulla Chandran. The development comes in the wake of the statement of former North Paravur CI Crispin Sam, the fifth accused, who was granted conditional bail on Wednesday by the North Paravur Judicial First Class Magistrate Court. Sam was arrested on Tuesday and charged with IPC Sections 218 (Public servant framing incorrect record or writing with intent to save person from punishment) and 342 (Punishment for wrongful confinement).
Though the prosecution opposed Sam’s bail plea, it was granted after the probe team informed the court there was no necessity to question him in custody. The court granted bail to Sam on a personal bond of `1 lakh and a direction to appear before the SIT whenever needed. The SIT had found the officer did not question Sreejith and had no role in the alleged custodial torture.
It is learnt the CI gave a statement during interrogation saying the ex-RTF personnel, who acted upon direct orders of then district police chief A V George, were deployed at Varapuzha to nab the accused in the house attack case. Besides, the remand report submitted to the North Paravur Court mentioned George deputed the North Paravur CI at Varapuzha as the officer-in-charge of the house attack case of April 6.
The case pertains to the attack on Vasudevan of Devaswampadom at his house.
A search involving the RTF personnel was conducted in the area the same day to find the accused persons. It was during this search Sreejith was wrongly arrested and assaulted. Officers including the Aluva DySP will be summoned by the SIT to find out whether they gave any specific instruction to the three RTF personnel who took Sreejith into custody on April 6 night, said sources with the SIT. Sreejith was allegedly assaulted while being taken to the Varapuzha police station on the night of April 6.
However, documents were manipulated to show his arrest date as April 7.
“Statements will be collected from all concerned officers. The SIT head would decide on when to collect statements from the officers after verifying the evidence,” said an officer with the SIT.Officers probing the case will also check call records of senior cops on duty on the night of Sreejith’s arrest. Sreejith died on April 9 with his autopsy report attributing his death to the multiple internal injuries in his abdomen.
‘Govt job a big relief’
Akhila, the wife of Sreejith, on Wednesday said the government’s decision to grant her a government job had come as a big relief. “It cannot compensate for the irreparable loss we suffered,” she said. “The probe is progressing in the right direction. But it is possible the accused will escape form the clutches of the law. Hence, we are demanding a CBI inquiry,” she told reporters at Varapuzha.
Remand extended
The Magistrate court extended the remand of four other officers, including Varapuzha SI G S Deepak, to May 15