The Kerala High Court has decided to suspend an Iranjalakuda Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) judge after his 17-year-old son reportedly killed a man by crashing a luxury sedan into a scooter. The Juvenile Justice Board has granted the minor bail.
The incident took place around 2:20 am on Sunday, when 55-year-old Jayabalakrishnan was hit and killed by a speeding Mercedes-Benz on the container road in Marapparambu in Cheranalloor. Both vehicles were travelling from Vallarpadam to Kalamassery when the collision occurred. The investigation revealed that the car was speeding at 104 kmph.
According to the police, Jayabalakrishnan ran a roadside eatery and was returning home on his scooter when the accident occurred. Residents rushed to take Jayabalkrishnan to the hospital, but he died at the scene. The car was allegedly driven by the judge’s minor son, but was registered in the judge’s name.
During the questioning, the teenager told the police that he had taken the car without his parents’ knowledge. He claimed that the scooter suddenly changed direction because it was raining heavily. Preliminary medical examination results revealed that the teenager was not under the influence of alcohol or intoxicants. However, the final test results are awaited.
A case was registered against the accused under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for causing death by negligence. The accused was released on bail from the station by Sunday evening.
The move triggered protests outside the police station, led by Bhadrakirti, the daughter of the victim. She demanded action against the police officers, alleging that they failed to investigate the case because of the judge’s position. She stated that she will go on a hunger strike if justice is not served.
Jayabalakrishnan lived in the Manjaly area and reportedly has a wife and three children. His family voiced fears of the judge’s influence, alleging that he spoke rudely at the police station when he was questioned about the minor driving his car. The family also alleged that they were forced to delete pictorial evidence from their phones to weaken the case against the minor.
The High Court has granted the police permission to proceed with a case against the judge. Though the minor was detained again by the police, he was granted bail by the Juvenile Justice Board on Monday.
