THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has decided to hand over the sensational Nedumkandam custodial death case to CBI. The decision was taken in the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan which held on Wednesday. Earlier, the victim, Rajkumar's family had filed a petition before the High Court seeking a CBI probe in the case. The court had also issued a directive to the state government to provide a compensation of Rs 1 crore each to the victim’s legal heirs.
Sources said that the government took a decision following severe criticism from the High Court. The court had observed that the police investigation in the Nedumkandam custodial death case looked biased and there were some missing links in the investigation.
The court made the oral observation while considering the bail petition filed by K A Sabu, the suspended sub-inspector of Nedumkandam police station and the first accused in the Rajkumar custodial death case. He was also granted bail in the case.
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Kolahalamedu resident Rajkumar, 49, was taken into custody on charges of financial fraud on June 12 and produced before the court only on June 15. He died on June 21 during remand custody.
Rajkumar's wife, Viji alleged her husband was subjected to brutal torture in custody. Rajkumar’s autopsy report said there were 22 wounds, including fracture and contusion.
Last week, the fresh autopsy by a team of forensic experts has also found that severe torture led to the death of Rajkumar. The report stated that “the death was due to complications of multiple blunt injuries on the body”.
The examination spotted multiple contusions on the back of the trunk and back of thighs. The contusions were grave in nature with nearly 15 to 20 cm in length and four to five cm in-depth on both thighs and the back of the trunk. The fresh autopsy found 22 new injuries which might have caused acute damage to the kidney and other organs. Hence, the reason for death has been changed from pneumonia to multiple organ failure, the report said.
The nature of injuries clearly indicated custodial torture. The examination also found bleeding at the joint portion of the thighs, giving ample evidence that Rajkumar’s legs were stretched to opposite sides during the custodial torture.
The state government had earlier handed over the probe to Crime Branch owing to the demand from the victim's family and the accused was in the police department. The crime branch had questioned the accused KA Sabu.
Sabu had given a statement that he had kept Rajkumar in custody after informing the higher officers and getting permission from them. Sabu had also forwarded Rajkumar’s photo and details to the then Idukki SP and Kattappana DySP via WhatsApp and informed the progress in the investigation to the officers over the phone when he was in their custody from June 12 to June 16. However, the crime branch could not question ant higher officials.