Kochi Accident Case: Court Protects Minor Accused's Identity
A case linked to a fatal road accident near Kochi has drawn attention after the Ernakulam Sessions Court objected to the disclosure of the identity of the minor accused. The hearing took place on Friday, the same day Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan met the victim's family.
Jayabalakrishnan lost his life when a Mercedes-Benz car being driven by a 17-year-old boy hit his scooter at Cheranellur. The incident has since become a focal point of legal and political attention.
In Friday's meeting at the family's home, Satheesan consoled the relatives and pledged that the state government would support them throughout the legal battle. He also said the progress of the case would be reviewed.
The family, meanwhile, presented a complaint alleging that the juvenile's father, an additional district judge, attempted to destroy key evidence after the accident. They said the judge and his family had reached the scene quickly in a different car and claimed nearby CCTV footage would substantiate this.
The family's position was echoed by Bhadrakeerthi, the victim's daughter, who spoke to the media afterward. She said the family had raised concerns about the difficulties in pursuing the case and that advocate Sreejith would continue representing them. Any future strategy, she added, would depend on the court's ruling.
The court's objection came while it was considering two petitions, one from the state and one from the victim's family, seeking cancellation of the juvenile's bail.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Kavitha Gangadharan stated that revealing the complete name and home address of a child in conflict with the law breaches the Juvenile Justice Act. She noted that protecting the minor's identity was the responsibility of the court and all parties.
The court ordered both sides to remove the juvenile's name from their filings and refer to him as 'minor accused' instead. The prosecution and the victim's lawyer were also told to make sure that no details identifying the minor come out during the proceedings.
The next hearing has been fixed for Saturday.