Nava Kerala Sadas assault: Court postpones pre-arrest bail plea hearing, rejects request to stay arrest

The Alappuzha Sessions Court on Tuesday postponed the hearing on the anticipatory bail pleas of the accused in the Nava Kerala Sadas assault case which pertains to the alleged assault on KSU and Youth Congress leaders who staged a protest during the Nava Kerala Yatra conducted when Pinarayi Vijayan was Chief Minister.

The prosecution sought more time to file its counter to the bail pleas filed by the accused, following which the court adjourned the hearing on all the petitions to Wednesday.

Following the move, the defence requested the court to issue an order staying the arrest of the accused until the anticipatory bail pleas are considered. However, the court rejected the request, observing that the Sessions Court has no authority to issue such a directive.

Additionally, the court allowed the prosecution's petition to implead the complainants, Congress MLA-elect A D Thomas and Ajay Jewel Kuriakose, in the case.

The accused had initially sought bail before the Magistrate's Court. However, after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) added the charge of attempt to commit culpable homicide (IPC Section 308) to the case, they withdrew their bail applications and approached the Sessions Court seeking anticipatory bail.

The anticipatory bail plea filed by the first two accused, S Anilkumar, who served as Pinarayi Vijayan's gunman, and S Sandeep, a member of the escort team, was originally listed for hearing on Friday. Meanwhile, the plea filed by accused 3 to 5, Vipin, V K Shaiju and Arun, was listed for hearing on Tuesday. However, the first and second accused had filed an advance petition seeking to have both pleas heard together on Tuesday.