KOCHI; The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the police to file a report containing the details of the materials on the basis on which a criminal case has been revived and proceeded against former MLA R. Selvaraj and his former gunman C.J. Praveendas .
The case relates to the destruction of a tent near the home of the former MLA.
The court passed the order when an anticipatory bail petition filed by Mr. Selvaraj and Mr. Praveendas came up for hearing.
The court observed that it wanted to know the definite and concrete materials connecting petitioners with the crime.
The court warned that if a convincing and satisfactory report was not submitted, the police officer who had reopened the crime, and the present investigating officer would have to face the consequences.
The court pointed out that the report filed by the police earlier did not show convincingly why or in what circumstances, or on what ground or material the crime was re-opened, or the police thought of a further investigation.
According to the petitioners , the case had been registered against them under section 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house) of the Indian Penal Code on charges of setting ablaze the tent on the former MLA’s home premises. In the petition, Mr. Selvaraj pointed out that after severing his ties with the CPI(M), he had contested and won the Neyyattinkara Assembly election in 2012.
The government had then granted him police guards to protect his house. The guards were accommodated in a temporary tent constructed near his house. Though the guards were withdrawn later, the tent had not been dismantled. However, in 2013, the tent was destroyed in a fire.The police had wound up the case as undetected. But after the LDF government came to power, the police had reopened the case and started reinvestigation, the petitioners said.
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