Devananda case: Bailable warrant against probe officer

Rebel-turned-minister Douglas Devananda is the third accused in case about a shootout at Choolaimedu on November 1, 1986, in which a person was killed. Additional Public Prosecutor Prabhavathy informed the court that the police were not cooperating in the case, failing to produce prosecution witnesses for cross-examination. Also, she added, materials recovered during the probe were not submitted before the court. 

Following this, Sessions Judge M Shanthi issued the warrant against the investigation officer of Choolaimedu police station, and posted the matter to February 9. Though Douglas and nine other accused were arrested, they all absconded after coming out on bail. The case then dragged on for years without any progress, before it returned to public attention after a non-bailable warrant was issued against Douglas. 

The prosecution also obtained court’s permission to split the case so as to proceed against him, as the remaining accused are still at large. Though he moved the court, the High Court directed Douglas to appear before trial court via video-conferencing through the Indian High Commission’s office in Sri Lanka for the trial.