Driver of car which allegedly chased ex-Miss Kerala not arraigned as an accused, State govt tells Kerala HC

The state government on Tuesday informed Kerala High Court that the driver of the car that allegedly chased the car of the former Miss Kerala Ansi Kabeer and former Miss Kerala Runner-up Anjana Shajan has not been arraigned as an accused in the case yet.

Three people including Ansi Kabeer and Anjana Shajan were killed in an accident on November 1 allegedly while being chased by the said car.

The driver of the car has reportedly been identified as Syju M Thankachan.

The Kerala Government has submitted in the court that the investigation in the case is going on and if any incriminating evidence is unearthed against him, he will have to be made an accused.

"In case he is made an accused, he will be served with a notice under Section 41A Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC)," it was submitted.

The state government further submitted its response in an anticipatory bail plea filed by Syju M Thankachan before the Single Bench of Justice V Shircy.

According to the police report, the car driven by Syju has chased the car of the models on the way back from the hotel where the models attended a DJ party, to the accident spot in Vyttila.

In the anticipatory bail plea, Syju's counsel said, "The petitioner (Syju) met Abdul Rahman at the hotel, who was an accused and driver of the car in which the models travelled. He was highly drunk. The car which he drove was at a speed while leaving the hotel.

As per the plea, the petitioner advised Rahman not to drive the car in the inebriated condition but he did not pay heed to it and left the hotel.

"Later on, the petitioner stopped his car after seeing the car pulled over by the roadside. He again tried to persuade the co-passengers not to permit the accused to drive the car since he was intoxicated and was driving at high speed," the bail plea read.

"On his way, the petitioner saw a bike lying on the side of the highway near Chakarapparambu. Immediately, he telephoned the police control room. After informing the police, he came to the accident spot. Then he came to know the vehicle driven by the accused along with co-passengers met with the accident," it further read.

The petitioner further said that it is only later that he came to know that the accused had made a statement that he tried to chase the vehicle and thereby lost control of the vehicle, which then rammed into the motorcycle resulting in the crash.

The petitioner is innocent and has nothing to do with the tragic accident, the plea said.

"Syju apprehends that he will be arrested and put to third-degree methods. He is ready to co-operate with the investigation," it added.

( With inputs from ANI )