The Crime Branch on Monday filed a chargesheet against nine police personnel in the alleged custodial death of a 26-year-old man at Varappuzha last year. The chargesheet was filed before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, North Paravur.
Of the nine officers named accused in the chargesheet, Santhosh Kumar P.P., Jithin Raj, Sumesh M.S., civil police officers and members of the Rural Tiger Force (RTF), and former Varappuzha Sub-Inspector G.S. Deepak, first to fourth accused respectively, have been charged under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code.
Crispin Sam, former North Paravur Inspector of Police, ASIs Jayanandan and Santosh Baby and civil police officers Sunil Kumar and Sreeraj, fifth to ninth accused respectively, have also been charged under Section 302.
Then Rural SP A.V. George, now Deputy Inspector General of Police, who had constituted the RTF, a special commando wing to combat antisocial activities, has been named the 98th witness. Sreejith’s relatives had alleged that he was tortured to death and had demanded that Mr. George be made an accused in the case. Besides Mr. George, 173 other persons, including police officers, are cited as witnesses. A special investigation team headed by Inspector General of Police S. Sreejith had conducted the investigation.
