Kottayam: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the assault on KSU and Youth Congress members during the Nava Kerala Yatra has submitted an additional report to the Alappuzha district and sessions court on Saturday. This supplementary report places the office of the then ADGP (law and order) under heightened scrutiny.
Key Findings in the Additional Report
In the first part of the report, the SIT explains how Section 308 of the Indian Penal Code (attempt to murder) was incorporated, laying down specific points to substantiate that the act was not "sudden or mechanical." The report emphasizes that the incident involved premeditation and deliberate actions.
Weapons and Equipment Under Investigation
The report states that the deputy commandant (security), state special branch, has confirmed that the authorized personal weapons of the PSO and escort personnel were small arms officially issued to them. Notably, no lathis were issued to the escort team. The presence of a large wooden lathi in the hands of the accused therefore assumes significance and requires further investigation to ascertain its source, purpose, and whether it was procured in furtherance of a common intention, the report notes.
Authenticity of Visual Evidence
On the authenticity of the visuals, the SIT observes that the mobile phone of Jojimon, a TV news channel cameraman who captured the incident, was seized and produced before the court. A forensic report confirmed no signs of editing, alteration, or tampering in the video file. Furthermore, a separate video recorded by a shop owner in the area shows Jojimon filming the incident and corroborates the cameraman's footage.
Contradictions in the Refer Report
However, the refer report filed before the court stated that the visual footage was obtained from the police photographer. Further investigation revealed that the materials recorded by the police photographer contained only events that occurred after the incident and did not depict the actual occurrence. This discrepancy raises serious questions.
Role of the ADGP (Law and Order) Office
The most significant finding concerns the role of the office of the then ADGP (law and order). The previous investigating officer and other witnesses have stated that the refer report was prepared at that office. The SIT is now investigating how contradictory facts came to be incorporated into it.
The SIT also recorded the statement of Sunilraj, the then investigating officer and DSP, district crime branch, who filed the refer report. His account of the circumstances under which it was finalized is corroborated by statements from staff attached to the then ADGP's office and other witnesses, says the report.
The SIT is now examining whether the alleged false statement regarding the police photographer's footage was deliberately incorporated into the refer report to create a false narrative or to shield the accused from legal consequences.
