The State government has permitted the prosecution of five police officers arraigned as accused in the custodial death of Rajkumar in Nedukandam police station in 2019. It also directed the State Police Chief to dismiss the officers from service.
The crime had not augured well for the people-friendly image of the State police and put the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government on the defence. Rajkumar’s death had also resulted in an Opposition walkout in the Assembly. It had provided political ammunition to target the Pinarayi Vijayan government.
In an action taken report tabled in the Kerala Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, the government said it had accepted and acted upon the recommendations of the Justice K. Narayana Kurup Commission, which had probed the case.
The Commission had found that custodial torture had resulted in Rajkumar’s death. It also accused the officers of attempting to destroy evidence and cover-up Rajkumar’s death. The government told the Assembly that it had discharged the officers from service as per Article 311(2) of the Indian Constitution.
The case
The sensational case related to the alleged torture of Rajkumar, a local chit fund operator, in Nedunkandam police station purportedly to recover money he had received as deposits from the public.
The financier died on June 21 at the Peerumedu taluk hospital while under treatment as a remand prisoner.
The Commission found that the police had subjected Rajkumar to prolonged torture and harsh questioning at the station house. (Forensic experts had counted 22 injuries on his body during postmortem examination.)
The officers had attempted to coerce Rajkumar into revealing where he had secreted the funds collected from the depositors.
The Commission found that the suspect officials had attempted to fudge station records to erase evidence in the case. It found that the police had taken Rajkumar into custody on June 12. However, they recorded his arrest only three days later.
Moreover, the Commission found the authorities had shuttled Rajkumar, who was severely ill, between Peerumedu and Kottayam districts for treatment several times. It said the case smacked of police highhandedness and total disregard for human rights.
