Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 15 Chief Minister VD Satheesan on Friday dismissed Opposition allegations of lapses in the high-profile luxury car crash case in Nedumbassery near here and said that the investigation is on the right track.
Three youngsters aged around 21, including two women, were killed when the speeding car, allegedly driven by Suhail (19) under the influence of alcohol, hit their scooter at Nedumbassery near Kochi early on October 11.
Police arrested four accused persons: Suhail, Ninav, Ameer, and Joel.
A medical examination reportedly revealed a high level of alcohol in Suhail’s bloodstream, following which police invoked additional charges against him.
The Angamaly Judicial First Class Magistrate on Wednesday granted police custody of the four arrested persons until Thursday evening for investigation.
Responding to allegations at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Thursday said the investigation into the Nedumbassery accident case is proceeding on the right track, dismissing the Opposition’s allegations.
Satheesan said Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala had recently given clear answers to the allegations.
“Police first registered an FIR and subsequently added the names and other details of the accused to the case. Those who go to a police station are familiar with these procedures. All details are not included at the initial stage of registering an FIR,” he said.
He pointed out that in the past, when the son of a prominent leader was involved in a road accident and arrested, his name was not mentioned in the FIR.
“The investigation is going on the right track,” Satheesan said.
On the criticism of lodging the accused in a Borstal school, he said the court made the decision, not the police or the government.
“It is the court, not the government, that remands an accused to a Borstal school. That blame is also being put on the government,” he said.
Earlier in the day, CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam alleged that the state government was playing foul in the investigation into the Nedumbassery accident.
“Children of rich people can kill anyone by running them over with their cars. This is the way the government functions here. People are watching everything. The people will put an end to this government,” he said.
Responding to Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala’s statement that misinformation was being spread about the case, Viswam said everyone knew what was happening.
Viswam alleged that the accused were sent to a Borstal School by concealing their ages and that police initially suppressed the fact that Suhail was intoxicated.
“A platform is being created to save the accused. It means that in cases involving wealthy people who support this government, investigations are being derailed,” he said.
As part of the investigation, Suhail was taken in a police bus to the accident spot on the Athani-Airport road on Thursday morning, officials said. However, due to a large crowd that had gathered in the area, he was not brought out of the vehicle.
Police recorded his account of the accident inside the bus, officials said. They also took the accused to bars where they had allegedly consumed liquor before engaging in reckless driving, officials added.
In the evening, the accused were produced before the court and remanded back to judicial custody. Police said they were shifted to the Borstal School, and the bail petitions will be considered on Friday.
All four were earlier also lodged at the Thrikkakara Borstal School, where offenders aged 18 to 21 are admitted. The decision had drawn widespread criticism. Police said all the accused persons are under 21.
Family members of the deceased youngsters had alleged that Suhail’s wealthy parents were attempting to influence the investigation. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala later clarified that the decision on where remanded persons are lodged rests with the court.
He said no favour would be shown to the accused and justice would be ensured for the families of the deceased, he added.
(PTI News)
