Family of drug case accused alleges threats over CBI probe demand

KOCHI: The family members of an accused in a 2018 drug case have alleged that they are facing threats from various quarters following a legal move to demand a CBI investigation into the police proceedings.

Pukkattumugal native A G Sunil Kumar, the first accused, and his family reportedly received death threats after they submitted a writ petition in the Kerala High Court on May 30 demanding a CBI probe.

Four of the six who were booked in the drug case filed by Edathala police had earlier held a joint press conference in Kochi raising concerns about the police action and alleged irregularities in the investigation, which was headed by Sujith Das, Ernakulam chief of the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (Dansaf).

Das is currently being probed for his links to last August’s custodial death of Tamir Jifri at Tanur police station. “Some anonymous persons visited our house [near Kodanad] and threatened us. We can no longer sleep peacefully,” said Reshma, wife of Sunil Kumar. “On the evening of June 6, three persons called on us and sought details of the petition that I had submitted before the HC. They threatened to slap us with multiple narcotic charges unless I withdrew it,” she said.

Following the incident, the family approached Kuruppampady police with a complaint. The SHO and a woman constable came home and took a statement, but nothing has happened, Reshma said.

“I shared my concerns, especially about Sujith Das’s involvement in this case. Yet, the officers didn’t mention his name in the statement. I was neither allowed to review the statement nor provided a copy of it. We received another threat on Saturday,” she added.

George Jacob Vengal, the counsel for five of the accused, including Sunil Kumar, alleged that the threats to his client and his family are a serious matter. “From the very first day of the case, there was misuse of power, illegal detention and brutal torture involved,” he said. It is a rare case where no final chargesheet has been submitted even after six years. Authorities even ignored the report submitted by former district special branch DySP V G Raveendran and CB DySP K M Jijimon against Sujith Das, the counsel said.