Chennithala’s assurance on Sunday came amid allegations from the victim’s relatives that the teenager’s judicial connections could influence the investigation into the accident at Cheranallur, which claimed the life of 55-year-old Jayabalakrishnan.
“There is no need for any apprehension. If someone hits and kills a person on the road, stringent action will be taken,” Chennithala said, responding to concerns about possible preferential treatment.
The minister maintained that police would act independently and that the identity or official position of an accused person’s relatives would not determine the course of legal proceedings.
He said approximately 14,000 people had been arrested during the preceding three to four months for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, with enforcement measures also including suspension of driving licences.
Chennithala described deaths caused by dangerous driving as unacceptable and insisted that investigators would not yield to pressure from influential individuals.
The minister’s intervention followed confirmation that Cheranallur police had arrested the teenager and subsequently released him on station bail under provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.
Police registered offences under Sections 281 and 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, covering rash driving on a public road and causing death by negligence.
The accident occurred around 2.20 am on Sunday near Maraparambu on Container Road, where the Mercedes-Benz struck Jayabalakrishnan’s scooter from behind. Both vehicles were travelling towards Kalamassery.
Jayabalakrishnan, a resident of South Chittoor, was returning home after closing his roadside food stall near Chittoor temple. He sustained fatal injuries in the collision.
The teenager, a resident of Aluva, was travelling alone in the luxury vehicle, which was registered in his father’s name. His father serves as an additional district judge in Thrissur district.
Police said the boy had taken the car without his parents’ knowledge. Investigators are examining how the vehicle came into his possession and the circumstances surrounding the collision.
The teenager told investigators that rain and waterlogging contributed to the accident. He claimed the scooter suddenly changed direction to avoid accumulated water, leaving him insufficient time to prevent the collision.
That explanation remains under investigation and has not been independently established. Police are examining witness accounts and available surveillance footage to determine the sequence of events.
Jayabalakrishnan’s relatives have disputed suggestions that the collision was unavoidable. They suspect the Mercedes-Benz was travelling at excessive speed, pointing to the extensive damage sustained by the scooter.
His niece, Jayalakshmi, has alleged that the judicial officer behaved disrespectfully when family members questioned him at the police station about allowing an underage person to drive.
She also questioned the handling of the vehicle following the accident and demanded a transparent investigation. The allegations against the judicial officer have not been established.
Police are separately examining whether the vehicle’s registered owner bears any legal responsibility. Under the Motor Vehicles Act, owners or guardians can face penalties when minors commit specified driving offences, subject to statutory conditions and available defences.
The investigation must therefore establish not only the teenager’s actions but also whether the circumstances warrant proceedings against any adult responsible for the vehicle.
Police have collected blood samples from the teenager for examination. Preliminary information did not indicate intoxication, although investigators were awaiting the relevant medical findings before reaching a definitive determination.
(The article ‘HM pledges strict action in judge’s son car crash’ appeared first on Free Press Journal.)
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