Nava Kerala Sadas assault: Court to hear pre-arrest bail of cops on Wednesday

Kottayam: Alappuzha district sessions court judge Honey M Varghese will hear arguments on Wednesday on the anticipatory bail pleas of five police officers accused of assaulting KSU and Youth Congress workers during Nava Kerala Sadas in 2023.

Although the court considered the bail petitions on Tuesday, the matter was adjourned to Wednesday after the prosecution sought time to file detailed objections to the pleas of the first and second accused, Anilkumar and Sandeep. As a result, the anticipatory bail requests of Anilkumar and Sandeep — the former chief minister’s gunman and guard — along with those of police officers Arun, Vipin and Shaiju will be taken up together.

When the case came up on Tuesday, defence counsel argued that the applications of Anilkumar and Sandeep — listed as the first and second accused in the initial case — should also be heard along with the anticipatory bail pleas of Arun, Vipin and Shaiju, who were included in the accused list during the SIT probe.

The court accepted the prosecution’s request for a detailed hearing to raise further objections against the accused. Advocate B Shivadas, appearing for the defence, sought an order restraining arrest until the anticipatory bail pleas are decided. The court, however, stated that a district sessions court has no power to halt arrest in such a case and that such authority lies with the high court.

The defence contended that the accused are not absconding, and that although the first and second accused came to surrender before the Alappuzha judicial magistrate court last week, they went into hiding only because the SIT added more charges, including attempted murder. The court decided to hear detailed arguments after also considering the prosecution’s request for more time to examine what was stated in the anticipatory bail plea, and its submission that MLA A D Thomas and Youth Congress functionary Ajay Jewel Kuriakose — who were assaulted — have more to state.

Besides, a pen drive containing four on-the-spot video clips of the incident and 27 photographs was handed over to the court. Meanwhile, the SIT has intensified the probe by appointing a special team to trace the five police officers. There is suspicion that due to high-level connections, they may be receiving assistance from within the police force. Their mobile phones are said to be switched off.