Cops eligible for bail: Kerala High Court

Kochi: Kerala High Court has closed the proceedings on the anticipatory bail pleas filed by cops who are accused in the suicide of Vinayakan. 

Prosecution submitted that they have not incorporated abetment to suicide charges against the accused.

Civil Police officers K. Sajan of Chavakkad and Sreejith of Poonkunnam, who are the first and second accused in the case, filed the petition. 

The charges against them are under Section 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons) of IPC and under Sections of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989. Court considered the sections and found that the offences are bailable.

The police registered the case following the complaint by the father of the deceased. According to the complainant, his son Vinayakan and his friend Sarath were taken into custody by the Pavaratty police with their motorbike on July 17 and they were detained in the station.Later, the duo was released.

His son committed suicide next day. This was due to the mental and physical pressure by the police, the complaint stated. Petitioners however argued that hey were implicated in the case after agitations were raised by different opposition political parties.