CBI registers FIR in 2015 Kerala custodial death

New Delhi: The CBI has filed an FIR and launched an investigation into the police custody death of a man in Kerala’s Kottayam District, who was accused of assaulting another individual over personal enmity a decade ago, an official said on Friday.

Siby died on July 11, 2015, while under investigation for charges of voluntarily causing hurt and using obscene language in a public place against Amal Kannanchirayil Nellithanathumala.

The incident, which involved violence and wrongful restraint, occurred on June 29, 2015. Following Siby's death, the case was transferred to the Crime Branch of Kerala Police for further investigation.

Siby’s death had sparked a political storm in the state with demands for action against the guilty police officials.

As per the first FIR filed by Kerala Police on June 29, 2015, Siby wrongfully restrained Amal inside the Marangattuppalli Primary Health Centre compound and kicked him and hit him with a piece of brick over a personal enmity issue.

Earlier, the Judge (Rtd) Sreevallabhan Commission of Inquiry recommended in its report to have a fair and proper investigation by an independent investigation agency or by the Special Investigation Team of the Kerala Police Force in Crimes. 528/2015, 530/2015 and 531/2015 of the Marangattupally Police Station.

The Home Department of Kerala decided to hand over the case to the CBI and accorded its consent under Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 (Central Act 25 of 1946).

In a separate case in Kottayam, the CBI launched a probe last month into the suspicious death of a businessman whose body was found on a railway track in June 2017. His car was parked 250 metres from the railway crossing.

Twenty-eight-year-old victim Gautam Vijayakumar, a resident of Veloor, Kottayam, owned a business at Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram.

(inputs from IANS)