Kochi, Nov 2 — The Kerala Police have added a fresh charge against a judge in the Cheranelloor Mercedes-Benz accident case in which his 17-year-old son knocked down and killed a scooterist.
The police have added Section 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with causing the disappearance of evidence of an offence.
The development comes after the family of the victim, roadside eatery owner Jayabalakrishnan, 55, alleged that attempts were made to destroy evidence after the accident.
The investigation was recently transferred to the Crime Branch on the directions of Kochi City Police Commissioner R. Nishanthini.
Meanwhile, the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court has ordered that further proceedings in the case will be held in camera.
The court took the decision in view of the nature of the case and the need to protect the proceedings and evidence.
The prosecution and the victim's family have also differed over the conduct of the case.
The family had sought the removal of the public prosecutor, alleging lapses in the prosecution.
The prosecution, in turn, accused the family of not cooperating with the proceedings and of giving misleading information to the media.
The court told the family that any complaint against the public prosecutor should be brought before it through the proper procedure.
The case relates to an accident in which a Mercedes-Benz car hit the scooter on Container Road, killing Jayabalakrishnan.
The car was driven by a judge’s 17-year-old son.
The latest developments come amid the family's demand for a fair investigation.
The Crime Branch is now probing the case.
Following the accident, there has been a stream of high-profile visitors to the victim’s home, including Chief Minister V.D.Satheesan, his predecessor Pinarayi Vijayan, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, and numerous others.