Kevin murder case: Sub-Inspector, Assistant Sub-Inspector removed from service

SI MS Shibu and ASI TM Biju have been fired from service for lapses in conducting the probe.
Kevin murder case: Sub-Inspector, Assistant Sub-Inspector removed from service
Kevin murder case: Sub-Inspector, Assistant Sub-Inspector removed from service
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It has been over a year since Kevin, a 23-year old youth from Nattassery in Kottayam, was found dead. A police officer was removed from service in connection with the case on Saturday, and the preliminary hearing in the murder case began on Friday at a special court in Kottayam.

Former Sub-Inspector with the Gandhinagar Police Station in Kottayam, MS Shibu, was served to a termination notice by the Inspector General of Police (Kochi Range), Vijay Sakhare. Shibu, so far, was under suspension. Deputy Superintendent of Police Vinod Pillai had conducted a probe against officers who had erred in the case.

The action against him is reportedly based on the report submitted by the DySP. It was alleged that Shibu had deliberately been delaying the probe into the missing person complaint filed by Kevin's father, Joseph.

Shibu has been given 14 days to explain his side of things. Assistant Sub-Inspector TM Biju, who had also been placed under suspension pending enquiry, was issued a termination order a few days ago.

The police officers who were on duty at the time had been accused of serious lapses, and for not taking prompt action on the complaint.

ASI Sunnymon was also suspended for failing to discharge duties. TM Biju and driver Ajayakumar were arrested on charges of extortion, as they took a bribe from the accused in the case after threatening them. The increment of Ajayakumar, who is still under suspension, has been put on hold for three years. The then Kottayam SP Mohammed Rafeeq was also suspended for trying to hush up the case and also for misguiding Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan about it.

Kevin, who belonged to a poor Dalit Christian family, was found dead in a canal near Thenmala in Kollam on May 28, 2018, after being abducted during the wee hours of May 27. He was in love with Neenu, whose family belongs to Thenmala. The young couple filled the form to register their marriage online on May 25 and Neenu, a student of Geology and Water Management at BK College in Amalagiri in Kottayam, went back to her hostel after that.

On May 26, Neenu's parents filed a complaint at the Gandhinagar police station that their daughter was missing. Neenu's brother Shanu Chacko and father Chacko are the prime and fifth accused respectively in the murder case. The Kottayam Additional District Sessions Court termed Kevin’s murder as an ‘honour killing’.

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