THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday criticized the Juvenile Justice Board’s act of granting bail to the 17-year-old, who fatally mowed down a man at Cheranalloor, in the assembly.
Invoking parliamentary immunity, he said "bail should not have been granted to the accused, who fatally mowed down a poor man at midnight."
"When the police wanted to produce the accused before the board, they were told to present him the next day. However, the police pressed on and they produced him on that day itself. But he was granted bail," Chennithala said, while answering to a notice moved by the LDF seeking an adjournment motion on alleged police highhandedness in the state.
The minister said he had talked to the family members of the victim, Jayabalakrishnan, on Binoy Viswam’s phone. He said they had raised three demands: To take action against the police officers who had deleted the evidence recorded on their mobile phone; to get the bail granted to the accused cancelled, and to take action against the judge, who is the father of the accused.
Chennithala said he told them that action will be taken against the cops also for not invoking serious sections against the accused in the FIR. The government has already started measures to challenge the bail in higher court and a case has been registered against the judge, who is the father of the accused, under the Motor Vehicle Act since he is the owner of the car that caused the accident.
Chennithala stated that the government cannot initiate any legal action against the judge and the matter has been conveyed to the High Court registrar. He said the judge’s behavior was rude. He went to the police station, which is against the law.
"We hope the High Court judge having jurisdiction over the particular district will look into the matter and would do the needful," he said.
He brushed aside the allegation that the police were given a free hand and countered that "the UDF government has no liability to blindly justify police wrongdoings," unlike the LDF government.
He said on the day of the accident itself he had conveyed to the State Police Chief his displeasure of the local police invoking bailable charges against the teenager. He said the police later added the section pertaining to culpable homicide not amounting to murder against the boy, but despite that he was given bail.
"I strongly condemn the act of the judge who granted him bail even before the pyre could burn out," he said.
LDF’s A C Moideen, who had moved the notice seeking permission to present an adjournment motion, accused police of being influenced by power and money. He said the police’s image will get better if actions are taken against erring cops.
However, his remarks about a ruling front MLA intervening in Nedumbassery road accident riled up the treasury bench following which Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan ordered expunging the remark from the records.
Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan said the police’s attitude has not changed despite the promises given by the Home Minister and the UDF government that they won’t allow any police highhandedness.
"It’s a serious matter that the policemen are not following your words. You should ensure that they listen to you," he told Chennithala. The LDF staged a walkout after their notice was rejected.
