Custody death case: Kerala High court grants bail to six accused cops

Justice V Sudheendra Kumar took the decision considering the plea that only the prime accused sub-inspector K A Sabu's bail was denied by the Supreme Court.

Citing that there had been no further notices from the Apex court, the defendants had moved the High Court on Thursday.

The defendants had approached the court even as the Chief Judicial Magistrate was to consider their bail plea.

Citing that there had been no further notices from the Supreme Court regarding the denial of their bail, and that Kumar, who was arrested in a financial fraud case, died due to alleged custodial torture in June 2019.

The case which was investigated by Crime Branch was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation on the behest of the High Court.

Kumar's wife and children too had sought a CBI probe.

C B Rejimon (48), S Niyas (33), Sajiv Antony (42), K M James (52), Jithin K George (31) and Roy P Varghese (54) were the officers granted bail.

A native of Kolahalamedu in Kottayam, Kumar was arrested over the financial fraud case in Idukki. He was remanded and died at Peermade sub-jail on June 21, 2019. The post-mortem revealed that Kumar had suffered brutalassaults. Allegations were also raised about the use of inhuman torture methods, 'urutti kola', where a heavy iron rod is rolled on the body of the accused.

The prime accused Sabu, who was granted bail by the High Court in August, arrested again last week after the Apex Court quashed his bail. He remains in the custody of CBI.