Custodial death: HC orders reinstatement of four cops

Kochi: The high court has directed the immediate reinstatement of four police personnel suspended in connection with the alleged Nedumkandam custodial death case. The bench of Justices A Muhamed Mustaque and P M Manoj instructed the competent authority to reinstate the officers and assign them to non-sensitive posts outside the district.

The order came in response to petitions by sub inspector K A Sabu, assistant sub inspector C B Rejimon, police driver S Niyas and senior civil police officer Sajeev Antony, challenging the Kerala Administrative Tribunal's (KAT) decision not to intervene in their prolonged suspension.

According to the prosecution, Rajkumar, an accused in a financial fraud case, was taken into custody on June 12, 2019, and held illegally until June 15. During this period, he was allegedly subjected to brutal assault, leading to his death on June 21, 2019. The petitioners had been under suspension since June 26, 2019, following allegations of their involvement in the custodial death.

The officers contended that despite the CBI filing a final report in the case before the chief judicial magistrate, the suspension review committee continued to extend their suspension, with KAT rejecting their petitions for relief. The HC observed that suspension is a measure to facilitate inquiry and prevent undue influence by the accused. Given the CBI's completion of its investigation and submission of a final report, the court concluded that the prolonged suspension was unwarranted and set aside KAT's order.