The Kerala High Court has granted permission to police to register a case against an Additional District and Sessions Judge in connection with a fatal road accident allegedly caused by his minor son near Cheranalloor. The accident claimed the life of 55-year-old Jayabalakrishnan, who was riding a two-wheeler.
The permission was granted on October 26 on the administrative side of the High Court after police approached it seeking approval to proceed against the judicial officer, according to sources.
The judge’s minor son, who was allegedly driving the Mercedes-Benz involved in the collision, has already been booked under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Minor Driver Released on Bail After Being Produced Before Juvenile Justice Board
The minor was initially booked under Section 106 of the BNS for causing death by negligence. He was released on bail under the Juvenile Justice Act.
However, protests by the victim’s family outside the Cheranalloor police station followed his release. The police subsequently apprehended the boy again and invoked Section 105 of the BNS against him.
He was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board, which granted him bail.
Victim Was Returning Home After Closing Food Stall
The fatal collision occurred between 2 am and 3 am on October 25, when Jayabalakrishnan was travelling home after shutting his food stall.
Police said a Mercedes-Benz registered in the name of the Additional District and Sessions Judge was allegedly being driven by the judge’s minor son at high speed when it struck Jayabalakrishnan’s two-wheeler from behind.
The impact killed Jayabalakrishnan at the scene.
Victim’s Daughter Questions Police Handling of Case
Jayabalakrishnan’s daughter has accused the police of treating the minor driver favourably because his father is a judicial officer.
Speaking to reporters on October 26, she expressed a lack of confidence in the police investigation and said she would continue pursuing justice for her father.
She maintained that neither the judge nor his son should escape accountability for the death.
The victim’s daughter also raised concerns about the handling of serious offences involving minors. She alleged that such incidents were increasingly being treated as routine and that juveniles were being allowed to evade legal consequences despite the seriousness of the alleged offences.
