Alappuzha (Kerala), Jun 9 A court here on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to five former security personnel of then Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in a case relating to the alleged assault on Youth Congress workers during the Nava Kerala Sadas programme in 2023.
In a setback to the UDF government, which had appointed a SIT to re-investigate the incident, Alappuzha District cum Sessions Judge Honey M Varghese granted relief to Anil Kumar S, Sandeep S, Shaiju V K, Arun R and Vipin V V, observing that the charge of attempt to commit culpable homicide was not prima facie sustainable.
The case stems from an incident in Alappuzha in December 2023 when Youth Congress activists staged a black-flag protest against the then CPI(M)-led government as Pinarayi Vijayan and his ministers travelled through the district as part of the Nava Kerala Sadas outreach programme.
According to the prosecution, the protesters were assaulted with sticks by the chief minister's gunmen after they ran towards the bus carrying Vijayan. Two persons were injured in the incident, including the current Alappuzha MLA A D Thomas.
After the Congress-led UDF came to power, Chief Minister V D Satheesan announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team following the first cabinet meeting to reinvestigate the case. The SIT subsequently invoked the more serious charge of attempt to commit culpable homicide against the accused personnel.
During the hearing, the court also viewed videos related to the alleged assault on Youth Congress workers, including footage recorded by a police photographer and videos captured by witnesses at the scene. The prosecution submitted that the offence of attempt to commit culpable homicide had been added against the accused.
The defence objected to the inclusion of the additional charge and argued that the accused were performing their official duties at the time of the incident. After detailed arguments, the court reserved its order for June 9.
Reacting to the order, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said the government did not consider the decision a setback.
"We will examine the court order. If an appeal is required, we will file one after consulting the Advocate General and the DGP," Chennithala told reporters.
Describing the incident as an act of "unprecedented violence", the minister said it was the UDF government that had decided to reopen and investigate the case. He said the next course of action would be decided after studying the court's findings.
The case has become politically contentious, with the Left maintaining that the Youth Congress activists were restrained in the interest of the security of the then chief minister and his entourage, while the prosecution alleges they were unlawfully assaulted during the protest.
