Pathanamthitta: The police have submitted a report in court against the forest department officials in connection with the alleged custodial death of Chittar native P P Mathai.
Culpable homicide not amounting to murder and illegal confinement were among the 11 charges that were slapped against the forest officials in the report submitted at the Ranni magistrate court in Pathanamthitta on Friday.
The probe team had earlier received legal advice to file a case against the erring officials by invoking charges under the IPC sections of 342, 348, 364 A, 330, 304, 465, 471, 201, 161, 167, and 34.
Accusation of forging documents and destruction of evidence would prove to be crucial in the case.
The probe team filed the report in the court on Friday even as the family was set to approach the police complaint authority over the delay in submitting the report.
Seven forest department officials had taken Mathai into custody from his home around 4pm on July 28. He was found dead in a well near his house, hours later.
After an outrage over his death, two officials were suspended. Among the remaining five officials, four were transferred.
Mathai's wife Sheeba has filed a petition in the High Court, seeking a CBI probe into the case.
