Kerala HC notice to ex-CM’s security staff

The Kerala High Court on Thursday sought the response of five former security personnel of former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on pleas seeking cancellation of their anticipatory bail in a case relating to the alleged assault on Youth Congress workers during the Nava Kerala Sadas programme in 2023.

Justice CS Dias issued notices to Anil Kumar S, Sandeep S, Shaiju VK, Arun R and Vipin VV on the Special Investigation Team’s pleas seeking cancellation of the relief granted to them by a sessions court on June 9. The UDF government had appointed an SIT to re-investigate the incident.

The Alappuzha Sessions Court on June 9 granted anticipatory bail to the five, 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 people were injured in the incident, including current Alappuzha MLA AD Thomas.

After the Congress-led UDF came to power, Chief Minister V D Satheesan announced the formation of the SIT, which subsequently added the more serious charge of attempt to commit culpable homicide against the accused personnel.