CHENNAI: The Madras High Court’s Madurai Bench has quashed the chargesheet filed against the police sub-inspector parents of Surjith in the alleged honour killing case of software engineer Kavin (25) in Tirunelveli, according to a Daily Thanthi report.
Kavin, 24, a software engineer from Thoothukudi district, was allegedly murdered in broad daylight on July 27 last year over his relationship with a woman. Since Kavin belonged to a Scheduled Caste community, the murder was alleged to have been caste-motivated.
The Palayamkottai police initially investigated the case before it was transferred to the CB-CID. The police first arrested Surjith, the woman’s brother, along with her father Saravanan and relative Jaipal. Nine months later, CB-CID officials arrested Surjith’s mother Krishnakumari, who was absconding, in connection with the case.
Surjith’s father and mother Krishnakumari were serving as Sub-Inspectors in the Tamil Nadu Special Police Force. Both were suspended following the incident.
Hearing the case on Tuesday, Justice R Vijayakumar quashed the chargesheet filed against Surjith’s parents, Saravanan and Krishnakumari. Following the order, Saravanan and Krishnakumari have been discharged from the murder case.
Meanwhile, the court dismissed Jaipal’s petition seeking to quash the chargesheet filed against him.
Reacting to the order, VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan said it was “shocking” that the Madras High Court’s Madurai Bench had quashed the chargesheet against the parents of Surjith.
He said that the court has the authority to acquit the accused after a trial if there is insufficient evidence, but quashing the chargesheet before the commencement of the trial would set a wrong precedent.
Thirumavalavan also pointed out that Saravanan, who was arrested in connection with Kavin’s murder, was arrested again in another murder case after securing bail, allegedly for his links with contract killers.
He said the High Court’s order could create an impression that Saravanan and his wife were innocent despite the circumstances surrounding the case.
Thirumavalavan urged the Tamil Nadu government to take steps to appeal against the order on behalf of the VCK.