Kerala High Court allows case against judge after minor son's fatal crash

The Kerala High Court allowed police to register a case against a judge after his minor son's fatal crash. The order follows allegations of preferential treatment and demands for accountability from the victim's family.

In Short

• Jayabalakrishnan was returning home after closing his food stall early Sunday
• The car allegedly struck his two-wheeler from behind at high speed
• Police added culpable homicide charges after the victim's family protested

The Kerala High Court on Monday permitted police to register a case against an Additional District and Sessions Judge after his minor son was allegedly involved in a road accident that killed a 55-year-old man, news agency Press Trust of India reported.

The accident occurred near Cheranalloor between 2 am and 3 am on Sunday when the victim, Jayabalakrishnan, was returning home after closing his food stall.

The High Court issued the order on its administrative side after police sought permission to register a case against the judge, sources told PTI.

According to police, a Mercedes-Benz registered in the judge's name and allegedly driven by his minor son hit Jayabalakrishnan's two-wheeler from behind at high speed. Jayabalakrishnan died at the spot.

Police initially registered a case against the minor under Section 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for causing death by negligence. He was released on bail under the Juvenile Justice Act.

The boy was apprehended again following protests by Jayabalakrishnan's family outside the Cheranalloor police station on Sunday. He was also booked under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and produced before the Juvenile Justice Board, which released him on bail.

Jayabalakrishnan's daughter told reporters on Monday morning that she would continue to seek justice for her father and would not allow the judge or his son to escape responsibility for his death.

She said she had no faith in the police and alleged that they had given preferential treatment to the boy because he was a judge's son. She also claimed that incidents involving minors were being “normalised” and that juveniles were being allowed to evade accountability even in serious cases.

The High Court's permission allows police to proceed with a case against the judge, while his minor son faces charges linked to the crash that killed Jayabalakrishnan.

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