Kottayam: The district and sessions court in Alappuzha is set to rehear the anticipatory bail application filed by the gunman and security guards of the former chief minister, who are accused in the Nava Kerala Yatra assault case. The court's decision comes after the defense lawyer raised doubts regarding the video footage presented by the prosecution.
Court Questions Video Authenticity
Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese, noting the necessity to verify the footage's authenticity, directed that the video recorded by the police photographer and the forensic report be produced in court. The judge subsequently adjourned the case to Saturday for further arguments. Reports indicate that the video captured by the police photographer does not contain footage of the alleged assault.
Accused Named in the Case
The special investigation team (SIT) probing the case has named former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's gunman Anilkumar, security officer S Sandeep, and police personnel Shaiju, Vipin, and Arun as accused. They are alleged to have assaulted KSU and Youth Congress leaders who waved black flags during the Nava Kerala Yatra at the Alappuzha General Hospital Junction.
Timeline of Events
At the time of the incident, the police photographer was positioned at the very rear of the chief minister's vehicle convoy. By the time the photographer reached the scene, the injured individuals had already been moved to the hospital. The video recorded by the police at the location was submitted as primary evidence in the magistrate court by the initial investigation team. The referral report, which recommended dismissing the complaint due to lack of evidence, was also based on this video.
SIT Investigation
Suspecting that the first phase of the investigation was compromised, the SIT summoned two sub-inspectors from the office of the then Additional Director General of Police M R Ajithkumar to the Alappuzha crime branch office and recorded their statements. The court will continue hearing the case on Saturday.
