Kottayam: Former Gandhi Nagar SI MS Shibu, who was issued termination notice in the 2018 Kevin Joseph murder case, has been reinstated. District Police Chief Harishankar had filed a report against reinstating the SI when the trial in the sensational case was still on. He had even suggested that the SI should be deployed, if taken back, outside Kottayam district.
Shibu was issued termination notice by Ernakulam Range IG Vijay Sakare after a complaint said the SI delayed inquiry into Kevin’s abduction from here last year hours before his murder in Kollam district.
The cop replied to the show-cause notice the other day and his reinstatement order was issued after the IG found his explanation satisfactory.
DySP Vinod Pillai’s inquiry had found that Shibu delayed inquiry into 23-year-old Kevin’s abduction until the afternoon of May 27, 2018 despite getting a complaint that morning. Kevin was brutally killed that very day by a gang led by Sanu Chacko, the eldest brother of his fiancee Neenu, after his abduction from the outskirts of Kottayam town. Kevin had earned the wrath of his Neenu's family for going ahead with plans to marry her despite the objection posed by her parents and brother.
Another cop, ASI ES Biju, was terminated from police service after he was found to have accepted a bribe from prime accused Sanu and his aides in the same case.
Experts cite scientific evidence
Forensic analyst IP Anaswara has told district principal sessions court that blood stains were found in the car used to abduct Kevin’s relative Aneesh at midnight hours ahead of Kevin's murder. The latter was taken in another vehicle.
Blood stains were found on the back of the front seat of the car in which Aneesh was taken, said Anaswara.
The court analysed scientific evidence collected from several locations in the case.
The forensic team had searched the house on the second day of Kevin’s abduction. Aneesh’s house and the three cars used to abduct him and Kevin were analysed by a team headed by forensic expert Priya Mary Chacko.
The back door at Aneesh’s house was broken and windows, furniture and utensils smashed. The team found evidence of use of weapons inside the house, Priya told court. She positively identified iron rod and shards of window pane in the court.
Fingerprint expert S Sujith said prints of four accused were recovered from three cars. Fingerprints of accused-13 Shinu was found from the glass inside the car, while that of accused-12 Shanu Shajahan was found from the mirror.
Police photographer P Sudheer, who took pictures of Kevin’s body in Chaliyakkara, Dominique Antony, the Thenmala Village Officer, who issued caste certificate to Kevin’s wife Neenu, and Athirampuzha Panchayat Secretary VK Rajiv were cross-examined in court.
The Kevin murder trial which began in February is expected to be completed in six months as it comes under the category of honour killing.
