Kochi police commissioner transferred amid investigation into Mercedes crash
Kochi City police commissioner Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar was moved to a new posting after four officers were suspended in connection with the probe of a fatal Mercedes-Benz collision involving a judge’s son.
Kochi City police commissioner Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar was transferred on Wednesday following the suspension of four officers from the Cheranalloor police station over the investigation of a fatal Mercedes-Benz crash. The Kerala government appointed IPS officer R Nishanthini, of the 2008 batch, as the new commissioner, according to an official order.
The crash on October 25 involved a teenager, the son of an additional district judge, who allegedly drove a Mercedes-Benz into the scooter of 55-year-old roadside eatery owner Jayabalakrishnan, killing him. The victim was crushed when the car struck his scooter from behind near Cheranalloor.
"The judge was reluctant to record his official statement in the case," officials said, adding that the crime-branch wing of Kerala Police has questioned the judge and issued a notice for him to appear again for further questioning.
The judge, who heads a Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal, has been charged under section 199A of the Motor Vehicles Act, though no disciplinary action has been taken by the judiciary despite requests from the victim’s family. The teenager faces charges of rash and negligent driving and culpable homicide not amounting to murder and is currently out on bail. The incident has prompted protests by the victim’s family over the handling of the case.