Cheranalloor accident: Questioning of Additional District Judge progresses

KOCHI: The Crime Branch's questioning of the Additional District Judge, the father of the 17-year-old involved in the Cheranalloor accident case, is progressing. The questioning is being held at the Ernakulam Police Club. The judge was summoned at around 2.30 pm. He was earlier named as an accused in the case.

Earlier, the investigation team had attempted to record the judge's statement, but he did not cooperate. The judge, who showed reluctance to answer further questions, had asked the police whether they had a court order to question him. The questioning is now being conducted with special permission from the High Court.

The judge reportedly told investigators that his son had taken the Mercedes-Benz car without his knowledge or consent. He also claimed that he was unaware that his son knew how to drive.

The Crime Branch had earlier conducted a search at the district judge's residence. The search, which began on Tuesday night, continued until around 4 am on Wednesday. During the seven-hour search, investigators seized a luxury motorcycle and digital evidence. The Crime Branch had also examined the teenager's social media accounts to find out whether he had driven a car on earlier occasions.

The accident occurred on Sunday when a Mercedes-Benz car driven by the 17-year-old hit a scooter, killing Jayabalakrishnan, a street food stall owner. The accident took place around 3 am when he was returning home after closing his shop. The car rammed into the Activa scooter ridden by Jayabalakrishnan on the Container Road in the Cheranalloor area. The impact completely damaged the scooter and partially damaged the front portion of the car.