Kerala HC acquits all accused in Udayakumar custodial death case
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Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday acquitted all police officers accused in the sensational Udayakumar custodial death case, pointing to serious lapses in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.
The verdict overturned the death sentence earlier awarded by the CBI Special Court to the first accused, K. Jithakumar. The second accused, S. V. Sreekumar, had also been handed the death penalty in 2018 but died of cancer in 2020. Both had been convicted on charges of murder, torture, and conspiracy.
The High Court also acquitted former Superintendents of Police E. K. Sabu and T. K. Haridas, along with then Sub Inspector T. Ajithkumar, who had been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for destroying evidence and fabricating a false case against Udayakumar.
Udayakumar, a scrap worker, was taken into custody with his friend Suresh Kumar from Sreekanteswaram Park in the heart of the state capital on September 27, 2005. He died the same night at the Fort Police Station following brutal torture.
According to CBI officials, constables forced Udayakumar to lie spread-eagled on his back on a wooden bench, beat the soles of his feet with a cane stick, and rolled a heavy hollow iron pipe on his thighs as part of third-degree torture. A post-mortem conducted in the presence of the RDO revealed 22 serious injuries on his body caused by beating and rolling with iron pipes.
The prosecution had argued that the torture was inflicted to frame Udayakumar in a theft case related to Rs 4,000 found in his possession. However, the case, which had shocked Kerala, weakened during the trial after several key witnesses, including Udayakumar’s friend Suresh Kumar, turned hostile.
Nearly two decades after the incident, the High Court has now acquitted all the accused, setting aside the landmark verdict of the CBI Special Court.
With IANS inputs