In a significant development, outgoing Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Arya Rajendran and her husband, Balussery MLA Sachin Dev, have been officially excluded from the chargesheet in a high-profile case concerning the alleged obstruction of a KSRTC bus driver. The judicial first class magistrate court in Thiruvananthapuram is considering the case, which has taken several twists since the incident occurred.
Chargesheet Excludes Mayor and MLA
The investigation, which followed a court directive to act on a private complaint, concluded that Mayor Arya Rajendran and MLA Sachin Dev did not obstruct the official duty of the KSRTC driver, Yadhu, nor did they use any abusive language during the altercation. Consequently, their names have been omitted from the final chargesheet prepared by the police.
However, the legal trouble is not over for the mayor's family. Aravind, the mayor's brother, remains the sole accused in the case as per the chargesheet. The incident itself traces back to April 27, 2024, around 10 pm, in front of the Saphalyam Shopping Complex at Palayam.
Details of the Palayam Altercation
On that night, a private vehicle carrying the mayor, her husband, and others allegedly blocked a KSRTC bus, leading to a heated verbal dispute with the driver, Yadhu. The case was registered based directly on Yadhu's private complaint after a court ordered the police to take up the matter.
In a new turn of events, driver Yadhu has now filed a fresh plea before the court. He is seeking to have Mayor Arya Rajendran added again as an accused in the case, indicating that the legal battle is far from settled.
Cross-Complaints and Stalled Probe
The situation has evolved into a series of cross-allegations. While the mayor and MLA have been cleared in this particular case, the police are preparing to file a chargesheet against driver Yadhu in a separate case filed by the mayor herself. In that complaint, Yadhu is accused of making obscene gestures at the mayor and others travelling with her that night. The Museum police station is handling this investigation.
Another puzzling aspect of the case has seen little progress. The probe into the missing memory card from the bus's surveillance system on the night of the incident has not yielded any significant breakthroughs so far, leaving a potential piece of evidence unaccounted for.
The case continues to unfold in the Thiruvananthapuram judicial first class magistrate court, with both sides pursuing legal avenues. The exclusion of the high-profile political figures from the chargesheet marks a key moment, but the fresh plea from the driver ensures the controversy remains active.
