KSRTC driver altercation case: Court issues notice to former Thiruvananthapuram Mayor, MLA husband

Thiruvananthapuram Dec 22 A Thiruvananthapuram court has issued notices to former city Mayor Arya Rajendran and Balussery MLA K.M. Sachin Dev in connection with a complaint of KSRTC driver Yadu.

The notices were issued after the court admitted a petition filed by Yadu challenging the police decision to exclude the two leaders from the charge sheet.

The court has directed Rajendran, Sachin Dev and Arya, the wife of Rajendran’s brother, to appear before it either in person or through their lawyers on January 21.

The court’s action follows Yadu’s plea seeking to set aside the police charge sheet, which had named only Arya Rajendran’s brother, Aravind, as the accused in the case.

According to Yadu, the police erred in dropping the names of Arya Rajendran and Sachin Dev from the charge sheet despite their alleged involvement in the incident.

He has demanded that they be arraigned as accused and that the investigation be reopened.

In a fresh submission to the court, Yadu alleged that a crucial piece of evidence in the case -- the CCTV memory card from the KSRTC bus -- was destroyed and that this was done by the then conductor, Subin, under pressure from Rajendran and Sachin Dev.

Yadu contended that the footage allegedly showed Sachin Dev entering the bus and engaging in violent behaviour.

He further alleged that the police investigation was biased and incomplete.

He claimed the police were initially reluctant to register a case against the then mayor and did so only after directions from the court.

He also accused the police of failing to trace and recover the CCTV memory card, which he said weakened the case.

Earlier reports had indicated that the police registered the FIR following court intervention.

Yadu has maintained that the investigation was conducted in a manner favourable to the accused and sought a fresh probe with the conductor also named as an accused.

The court’s decision to issue notices is being seen as a relief for the complainant.

The case is expected to come up for further consideration in January, when the court will decide on Yadu’s demand for reinvestigation and inclusion of additional accused.

The incident occurred in April last year, and since then, the young Mayor had come under severe attack.

Social media is buzzing with claims that this was one incident which led to the BJP turning into the single biggest party in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation for the first time when it won a record 50 of the 100 seats to which elections were held.

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