Life Convict In Kevin Murder Case Tortured In Prison; Kerala High Court Makes Urgent Intervention

The Kerala High Court on Friday made an urgent intervention on a plea moved by the parents of Tittu Jerome, a life convict in the Kevin murder case, stating that their son was being subjected to brutal torture at the Poojappura Central Prison.

Jerome Kochukutty and Valsamma, parents of Tittu Jerome, filed a habeas corpus petition in the High Court today saying that the prison officials were not allowing them to meet their son, who was being kept in an isolated cell following brutal manhandling.

A division bench comprising Justices K Vinod Chandran and M R Anitha, which took up the petition today afternoon, gave a direction to the District Judge and District Medical Officer of Thiruvananthapuram to urgently visit the prison and report about the condition of Tittu today itself, by 4 PM.

The District Judge, N Seshadrinan, reported that Tittu told him that he was beaten on the back of his chest and that he showed one cane mark on his left foot and three cane marks on the right foot.

Since the doctors opined that his body condition suggested renal injury requiring immediate medical treatment, he was shifted to Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram.

The bench, which took up the case again after 4 PM, took serious note of the developments. The bench ordered that prison officials should be kept away from the security duty of Tittu Jerome at hospital and that he should be supervised only by the local police. 

"We direct the Additional Director General of Police (Prison) or an authorised officer of the rank not below Deputy Inspector General of Police to conduct an enquiry and forward an interim report to the Additional District Judge II, Thiruvananthapuram on or before 12.00 noon tomorrow We also direct the Additional Director General of Police (Prison) and the Commissioner of Police, Thiruvananthapuram to ensure that the convict is provided a guard in the Medical College Hospital from the Police Force and no Central Prison personnel should be allowed access to him. The Commissioner shall ensure that the convict is given ample protection as also ensure his proper detention at the Medical College Hospital", the order passed by the bench said.

"The power to punish is with the courts. We will not allow 'eye for an eye', 'tooth for tooth' practices", Justice Vinod Chandran orally remarked during the hearing.

Senior Advocate Dr K P Satheesan assisted by Advocate SK Adithyan appeared for the petitioners.

Kevin Joseph, a Dalit Christian, was murdered in 2018, in what was later found to be a case of honour killing. Kevin was in a relationship with Neenu Chacko, and they had applied for registering their marriage on May 25, 2018. The next day, he was abducted from his home at Mannanam at the instance of Neenu's brother Shanu. Two days later, his corpse was found in a water canal in Kollam district.

A year later, the Sessions Court Kottayam found after a fast-tracked trial that Kevin was killed at the instance of the Syanu Chacko, brother of Neenu. Tittu Jerome was found to be a member of the gang of Neenu's brother Shynu Chacko which killed Kevin. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for offences relating to abduction, murder and criminal conspiracy.