High Court Overturns Convictions in 2005 Custodial Death Case

The Kerala High Court has acquitted four former police officers previously convicted in 2018 for the custodial death of Udayakumar in 2005. The court criticized the CBI's flawed investigation, citing illegal procedures and coerced testimonies, leading to a serious failure of justice.

The Kerala High Court has overturned the 2018 convictions of four former police officers implicated in the custodial death of 28-year-old Udayakumar in 2005. The decision was based on what the court termed a 'flawed and tainted investigation' by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which impeded the prosecution's case.

A bench comprising Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar pointed out significant investigative irregularities by the CBI. These included turning an uninvolved witness into an approver and coercing witnesses into endorsing their narrative. The High Court deemed these actions as highly irregular and in violation of legal fairness.

The bench further highlighted that the prosecution case, which alleged Udayakumar died due to custodial torture, suffered from inconsistent testimonies and investigative defects. The High Court's ruling also noted that the approach taken violated the rights of the accused to a fair trial.