The High Court of Kerala has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file the preliminary chargesheet in connection with the death of J S Sidharthan, who was a student of the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Pookode in Wayanad.
Justice P G Ajithkumar has posted the matter for hearing on May 7. On Tuesday, the court heard pleas from the students implicated as accused in Sidharthan's death.
Sidharthan was found hanging in a bathroom of the college hostel on February 18 this year. He was allegedly subjected to ragging and brutal assault at the college. Of the 20 students in custody in connection with the case, about 10 had filed petitions for bail.
Their counsels told the court that the petitioners have spent over 60 days in prison and were entitled to bail. The petitioners have claimed they were arrested without providing sufficient information about their alleged crime.
The counsels of the petitioners told the court that further custodial interrogation was not required as the CBI has completed its probe. The petitioners also stated that the Sessions Court had rejected their statutory bail pleas without considering that they were students and their future would be in peril.
The accused students have been charged for offences punishable under Sections 120B, 341, 323, 324, 342 and 306 read with Section 34 of the IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998.
