Sub-inspector Shibu was earlier suspended for laxity after (L) Kevin's fiancee alleged that he didn't act promptly on the missing complaint.Kottayam: As the probe into the suspected honour killing of Kottayam youth Kevin widens, more police officers are under a cloud of suspicion for their complicity with the accused in the case and dereliction of duty.
ASI Biju of the Gandhinagar police station, who allegedly spoke with the culprits twice during the crime, has been suspended. He is likely to be named as accused. He will be booked on charges of trying to hide the crime. He has been arrested and the police are questioning him. Police driver Ajaya Kumar has also been arrested. It was alleged that the cops had a role in the crime.
Earlier, Malayala Manorama had accessed audio clip of a phone conversation between Biju and main accused Sanu Chacko, the brother of Kevin's fiancee Neenu. In the conversation, Sanu is heard telling the cop that 'Kevin had escaped from their hands'.
The police have seized the car used by one of the accused.The police have also seized one of the vehicles used by the killer gang. The car belonged to Tittu, one of the accused in the case. The car was found from the robber plantation near his house in Kollam. The forensic experts are checking the car. Two cars were earlier seized from Punalur.
SI in the dock too
Meanwhile, sub-inspector Shibu, who was earlier suspended for laxity after Kevin's fiancee alleged that he didn't act promptly on the missing complaint, is also likely to be named as an accused.
Manorama has accessed documents to prove that the sub-inspector was also part of the CM's security team during Pinarayi's visit to KottayamThe sub-inspector was also part of the CM's security team during Pinarayi's visit to the district. For CM's three official programmes in Kottayam, a 400-member team was deployed that included 4 DySP and six CI. Earlier, Pinarayi had refuted allegations that CM's security turned out to be a hindrance for the police to probe the missing complaint of Kevin. Pinarayi reiterated that his security was handled by a special team and local police had no role in it.
The police are also probing charges that a patrol vehicle that reportedly apprehended the killer gang had taken money from them.
Kevin was abducted on Sunday and killed by a 13-member gang allegedly engaged by his fiancee's family. His body was found in a river in Kollam district on Monday. His relatives have alleged he was tortured and killed by the gang two days after Kevin and Neenu filed a joint application for marriage registration at a sub-registrar office near here.
Aneesh, who was abducted along with Kevin, said that he was threatened against making any complaint with the police.
Protection for Neenu
Kerala minister AK Balan said that the government would protect Neenu. "Once she recovers, the government is ready to help her out," he added.
Neenu too had alleged laxity on the part of the police when she approached the Gandhinagar police station, near Kottayam town, with a missing complaint on Sunday. The police did not act even after she appealed to the sub-inspector that Kevin's life was in danger and he should be rescued, she said.
Neenu's father and brother, the prime accused, were taken into custody on Tuesday.
Chacko John, 50, and his 26-year-old son Sanu were detained even as the killing of Kevin rocked the state with a hartal hitting life in Kottayam. They have been brought to Kottayam and the cops are questioning them.
(With PTI inputs)
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