Kochi: The Varappuzha case took a new turn on Saturday with the Special Investigation Team not pressing charges of abetment of suicide against those arrested for attacking the house of Vasudevan on April 6. It may be recalled that Sreejith, who died in custody, and eight others including Sreejith’s brother Sajith, were arrested for the attack which led to Vasudevan’s suicide.
The report submitted by the probe team stated that abetment charges under section 306 of the IPC cannot be substantiated and that the case charged by Varapuzha police against the accused on that count should be dropped.
The report by the SIT is seen as indirectly admitting that the arrested persons are not the real culprits in the case.
The sessions court in Ernakulam has granted bail to the accused as the SIT took the position in the magistrate court. The police, however, said the charges of assaulting Vasudevan and attacking his residence will prevail against the accused.
Varappuzha SI Deepak remanded
Varappuzha sub-inspector G.S. Deepak, arrested on Friday, was remanded in custody for 14 days when he was presented in the court on Saturday. The remand report of Deepak has stated that he was involved in torturing Sreejith and other accused in the station.
The investigation team has also stated that he should not be granted bail as he is likely to influence witnesses. Deepak is the fourth accused in the case. The others arrested included Jithin Raj, Santosh Kumar and Sumesh, members of the Rural Tiger Force of the Aluva rural SP. The probe team arrested them for murder, custodial torture and under other sections of the IPC.
