Gautam death homicide, not suicide: Kerala HC in CBI probe order
KOCHI: T K Vijayakumar and Meera of Veloor were brutally murdered when the couple was seeking justice for their son Gautam, who was found dead under suspicious circumstances eight years ago.
Accepting the homicide angle, the High Court had ordered a CBI investigation into Gautam’s death on February 19. Subsequently, the CBI launched an investigation into the case in March.
While ordering a CBI probe, the High Court observed that the inquest report shows that there were serious injuries all over the body of the deceased. “The postmortem report reveals two incised horizontal wounds on the front neck.
The postmortem certificate further reveals that as a result of the said incision wounds, the platysma, right sternohyoid muscle, superior belly of the right omohyoid muscle, right sterno cleido mastoid muscle, and right external jugular vein were cut. The cause of death was also opined to be the injuries sustained to the neck and chest,” said the court.
The mahazar was prepared by the Kottayam West Police after seizing the car of the deceased, which was found 240 m away from the place where his body was found. The mahazar shows that there was blood all over the front seat as well as the rear seat of the car.
A knife blade (box cutter) covered in blood was found on the rear seat of the car. “All these materials suggest a strong probability of homicide and not a suicide, as found by the local police in the final report,” said Justice Kauser Edappagath.
In his petition before the High Court, Vijayakumar stated that his son, Gautam Vijayakumar, who was running a business at Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram, left his house in Thiruvathukkal, Kottayam, on June 2, 2017, around 7.15 pm.
He was driving his Maruti Suzuki Brezza to meet his friend Prashob, who owned a shop at Pulimoottil Junction, Kottayam. At approximately 8.05 pm, Gautam called his mother, informing her that he was on his way back home. However, he never returned. Upon enquiring, Prashob told Gautam’s father that he had left the shop alone in his car around 8 pm to return home.
The petition further said that Gautam’s body was found on June 3, 2017, lying on the railway track near Caritas Hospital.
The probe was handed over to the Crime Branch of the Kottayam West police. After the, the Crime Branch filed a final report stating that it was a case of suicide. It was concluded that the wounds were self-inflicted and the deceased had taken his own life by jumping in front of a moving train.
Advocate T Asaf Ali, counsel for the parents, said that without applying mind and without conducting any investigation at all, the local police filed a final report stating that it was a case of suicide.
Son’s mysterious death shattered family
June 3, 2017 -Vijayakumar’s son, Gautham Vijayakumar, is found dead near the railway tracks adjacent to Caritas Hospital, Kottayam
Police concluded injuries on Gautham’s body as self-inflicted and concluded that he had died by suicide
2019 - Citing dissatisfaction with the initial investigation of the local police, Vijayakumar demands a CBI probe.
Vijayakumar approaches High Court seeking a CBI probe
High Court rules that multiple injuries, especially on the neck, cannot be self-inflicted
2025 - The High Court says it was not a suicide, but murder, and ordered a CBI investigation
March 2025 - CBI begins an investigation into Gautham’s death
Vijayakumar and his wife had fought for five years to obtain the court order