Nava Kerala assault: Court to hear anticipatory bail plea of accused today

Kottayam: The district and sessions court, Alappuzha, will hear once again the anticipatory bail application submitted by the gunman and guards of the former chief minister who are accused in the Nava Kerala Yatra assault case.

After the defence lawyer expressed doubt about the video footage produced by the prosecution, sessions court judge Honey M Varghese, observing that the authenticity of the footage must be ensured, directed that the footage filmed by police photographer and the forensic report be produced, and adjourned the case to Saturday for further argument. The available information is that the video filmed by the police photographer does not contain footage of the assault.

Ex-CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s gunman Anilkumar, security officer S Sandeep and police personnel Shaiju, Vipin and Arun have been named accused by the special investigation team probing the case. The accused allegedly assaulted the KSU-Youth Congress leaders who waved black flags at the Nava Kerala Yatra at the Alappuzha General Hospital Junction.

At that time, the police photographer was at the very rear of the CM’s vehicle convoy. By the time he reached the spot, those injured in the assault had been moved to the hospital. The video filmed by police on the spot was what the first investigation team submitted as the main evidence in the magistrate court. The referral report submitted stating that the complaint should be dismissed for want of evidence was also based on this video.

Suspecting that the first phase investigation of the case was sabotaged, the SIT summoned two grade SIs from the office of the then ADGP M R Ajithkumar to the Alappuzha crime branch office and recorded their statements.