Kochi: Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) P Vijayan visited the Cheranalloor police station on Tuesday following the Home Minister’s intervention to investigate allegations of serious procedural lapses and preferential treatment in the probe into the fatal Mercedes-Benz crash involving the minor son of a judicial officer.

Addressing the media outside the police station amid mounting public and political pressure, Vijayan rejected concerns that the investigation could be compromised because of the accused’s family background, asserting that the law applied equally to everyone.

“All those doubts are misplaced,” he said when asked whether the fact that the suspect’s father is a judge would affect the probe. “Here, there is no distinction whether someone is a judge, police officer, or anyone else. If a wrong has been committed, lawful action will be applicable to everyone alike,” he added.

Asked whether the department had identified any dereliction of duty by the investigating officers, Vijayan referred to the statement made by the Home Minister in the Assembly.
“You would have heard what the Home Minister said. Whether any such lapses occurred, what happened, who is responsible and what were the causes, or what nature of lapse it was, it is to examine all of that that I have come here,” he said.

The ADGP added that he would meet the victims and their families, saying he would “leave only after seeing everyone connected with this.”

Vijayan is convening an urgent review meeting at the Cheranalloor police station with senior police officials, including the Kochi City Police Commissioner, district-level officers and investigators from the District Crime Branch.

CCTV footage under scrutiny
The inquiry will examine CCTV footage from inside the police station to verify allegations that officers intimidated the grieving family and forcibly deleted mobile phone recordings made by them.

Relatives of the deceased, 55-year-old teashop owner Jayabalakrishnan, have alleged that police personnel seized their mobile phones to delete videos and photographs taken after the 17-year-old driver was brought into custody. They also accused the officers of behaving in a hostile manner and shielding the teenager because of his father’s judicial position.

The initial handling of the accident case has also come under scrutiny. Despite the fatality, the minor was initially booked under bailable provisions relating to rash and negligent driving and released on station bail.

Following public outrage, protests and political intervention, the police invoked Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and produced the juvenile before the Juvenile Justice Board.

Opposition targets police conduct in Assembly
The controversy reached the Kerala Legislative Assembly, where the Opposition moved an adjournment motion notice seeking suspension of House proceedings to discuss the police department’s handling of the case.

While presenting the notice, MLA A C Moideen launched a sharp attack on the administration, accusing the police of protecting officers who had allegedly shown favouritism towards influential people.

The Home Minister detailed the lapses identified so far and confirmed that a senior officer had been sent to investigate the allegations and ensure accountability.

Meanwhile, in Aluva, Jayabalakrishnan’s family performed his post-funeral rites, including the immersion of his ashes, on the third day after his death.

The family had earlier set a 4 pm deadline for decisive action against the officers allegedly responsible for the lapses. The relatives have vowed to continue their demand for accountability, insisting that action must be taken against those found culpable.