Kerala: Sreenath death back in focus

Thiruvananthapuram: Files related to the death of actor Sreenath has re-appeared. It was only six months ago, in reply to an RTI application filed by Sreenath’s wife Latha, that the Kothamangalam police furnished a strange reply. “The case files are missing. We are, therefore, unable to entertain your request,” the reply said.

Now, after the reply had kicked up a storm, the files are back in place. “Then, when we received the RTI application, computerisation was going on in the station and files weres misplaced,” the Kothamangalam CI told DC on Wednesday. According to the CI, the 'closure report' was filed four months after Sreenath’s death. (The actor died on April 23, 2010, after he was reportedly replaced by another actor in the Mohanlal-starrer ‘Shikar’ directed by Padmakumar.) “It was concluded as a case of suicide,” the CI said. “I think the report has by now been sent to their lawyer,” he added.

Mr Sathyanath, Sreenath’s younger brother, said no such report had yet been received. “If a closure report was filed four months after the death, why was it not submitted in the court, as is mandatory,” asks Sathyanath. The family, too, has been repeatedly asking for the report. “If the closure report had been filed, why were we told that the case had been transferred to the Crime department,” Sathyanath asked.

The FIR, quoting the manager of the hotel in which Sreenath was found dead, had specifically stated that production executive Sanju Vaikom and production controller Manoj had visited Sreenath at his room before he was found in a bloodied condition. “We want to know whether these people were questioned,” Sathyanath said. The Kothamangalam CI said the statements of the two were indeed taken. However, he said that it was not the production executive but his two assistants who had met Sreenath at his room. “They went to the hotel room to inform Sreenath that his services were no more required. Instead of telling him directly, they asked him to leave the hotel and return two weeks later. They also offered him a travelling allowance of '2000. Sreenath took only '1000,” the CI said.

Sathyanath finds this utterly unconvincing. “Are they trying to tell that Sreenath committed suicide after he was booted out of a film? The man has seen harder times,” Sathyanath said. The suicide theory gained credence after the post-mortem report said the death was caused by the “injuries sustained to the left wrist”. The multiple wrist slashes (six roughly parallel ones, three of them deep enough to sever the ulnar artery and three shallow), according to forensic experts, are telltale signs of a suicide. However, 11 other wounds (contusions and abrasions) on legs, knees and buttocks have put a question mark over the suicide angle.

The police had concluded that the contusions and abrasions were the result of the knocks that Sreeanth sustained while drunk the previous day. 

“Female artistes, who were also staying in the hotel, had told the police how they had to call the reception to help him into his room,” the CI said. Sathyanath finds it hard to believe that 'bluish to bluish black'-coloured contusions were the result of Sreenath bumping on walls or other objects in a drunken state.

He wants answers to other mysterious happenings, too. Why was it that not a single person from the film location accompany his body? Why was it they did not stop shooting even for an hour? Where did his two mobile phones vanish, and also his wallet?

Strangely, even his toiletry box was missing. “He was there for a 41-day shoot. It is hard to believe that he would go for a shooting without his toiletry box,” Sathyanath said. It was just a briefcase with some clothes that was handed over to Sathyanath. 

The actor’s family will submit a petition demanding the reopening of the case to the Chief Minister and DGP in the coming week. 

• Why was closure report  not submitted in the court.
• Why was it that not a single person from the film location accompanied his body?
• Where did his two phones vanish, and also his wallet?