Attack on KSU, Youth Congress activists: former CM’s security team members granted anticipatory bail

The Alappuzha District and Sessions Court connected Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to 5 constabulary unit accused successful the alleged onslaught connected Kerala Students' Union (KSU) and Youth Congress activists who had staged a achromatic emblem protestation against erstwhile Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan successful 2023.

Judge Honey M. Varghese granted bail to Anilkumar, who had served arsenic the erstwhile Chief Minister's gunman, and members of the information team, identified arsenic S. Sandeep, Shaiju, Arun and Vipin.

The lawsuit pertains to an incidental successful December 2023 during the Nava Kerala Sadas programme successful Alappuzha. KSU and Youth Congress activists had staged a protestation against the Chief Minister’s convoy, pursuing which they were allegedly assaulted by members of the information team. Visuals of the incidental had surfaced astatine the time, showing information unit stepping retired of the Chief Minister’s escort conveyance and beating the protesters.

The past Chief Minister had defended the actions of his information officers, stating that they were acting solely to guarantee his information and describing the involution arsenic a “rescue operation.” The mentation drew crisp disapproval from Congress leaders and sparked governmental debate.

As constabulary initially did not registry a case, the Youth Congress leaders who were allegedly beaten up approached the tribunal seeking ineligible intervention. Acting connected the court’s direction, the constabulary subsequently registered a lawsuit against the information unit involved.

After the United Democratic Front (UDF) authorities came to powerfulness successful the State, a peculiar probe squad (SIT) was constituted and a re-investigation was launched. Though the accused had initially approached the Magistrate Court seeking anticipatory bail they aboriginal withdrew their petitions and moved the Sessions Court aft further charges, including Section 308 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with effort to perpetrate culpable homicide, were incorporated.

In a study submitted earlier the court, the SIT stated that the inclusion of Section 308 IPC was based connected a elaborate appraisal of the grounds gathered during the investigation. It besides said the determination followed discussions wrong the SIT, consultations with forensic medicine experts, and valuation of the disposable material.

Alappuzha legislator A.D. Thomas, 1 of the complainants successful the battle case, termed the determination to assistance anticipatory bail arsenic unfortunate and said he, on with co-petitioner Ajay Jewel Kuriakose, would prosecute the lawsuit to immoderate grade to guarantee that justness was served.