Kerala High Court Grants Interim Bail Protection to District Judge in Mercedes-Benz Crash Case

The Kerala High Court on Thursday granted interim protection from arrest to a District and Sessions Judge whose 17-year-old son is alleged to have driven a Mercedes-Benz that struck and killed street-vendor Jayabalakrishnan in Cheranalloor on October 25. The judge was booked under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with traffic offences under the Motor Vehicles Act.

Justice Kauser Edappagath, hearing the anticipatory bail plea, said the judge is a serving judicial officer and is expected to cooperate with the investigation, noting that a four-hour interrogation had already taken place. The court ordered that the police not arrest the judge until further notice and directed him to appear before the investigating officer at 1 p.m. the same day.

Senior Advocate P. Vijayabhanu, representing the judge, stated that police had seized the vehicle and electronic devices during a search of the judge’s residence. The FIR alleges the minor drove the car into the victim’s scooter around 2 a.m., and the juvenile was later granted bail by the Ernakulam Juvenile Justice Board, though the state government has sought to cancel that bail.

The victim’s family filed an impleading petition, and the case was adjourned to allow the public prosecutor time to receive further instructions.