Cheranalloor accident case: court seeks data on BNS Section 105 in accidents involving juvenile drivers

The car that met with a fatal accident at Cheranalloor in Kochi (File) | Photo credit: Thulasi Kakkat

The additional district and sessions court assigned to hear cases involving atrocities on women and children in Ernakulam, while hearing an appeal seeking suspension of bail granted to a 17-year-old involved in the Cheranalloor accident case that claimed life, directed the investigating officer to submit within an hour details of FIRs registered in the district or elsewhere in the state in connection with accidents involving juveniles drivers who can be punished by BNS 105 murder, which did not amount to murder, was applied.

Justice Kavitha Gangadharan sought the data to attach it to the appeal order filed by the prosecution and the family of the deceased against the bail granted to the juvenile by the Juvenile Justice Board. It warned the Investigating Officer, Deputy Commissioner, Crime Branch that he would be responsible if no FIRs were registered anywhere else with reference to Section 105 of the BNS in similar cases and if the provision was invoked only in this case.

The court also criticized the investigating agency for taking the bail appeal to the main bail court and not the juvenile court. The judge also sought to know from the prosecution whether he had any doubts that the Model Rules of Juvenile Justice constituted the only state government framework governing matters involving children in conflict with the law.

On Monday (November 2, 2026), the court expressed its displeasure with the prosecution and the lawyer for the alleged trafficking of the victim’s family and ordered further proceedings to be held in private for that day. The judge ruled despite the objections of the family’s legal representative. Bhadra Keerthy, daughter of the late Jayabalakrishnan, told the media that the family lacks confidence in the prosecution represented by Special Public Prosecutor PA Bindu.

The prosecution raised the issue in court on Monday, accusing the victim’s family of interfering with the independent investigation through conflicting statements to the media. MG Sreejith, the family’s counsel, accused the prosecution of non-cooperation while denying allegations that the victim’s family was obstructing an independent investigation. The decision to conduct the proceedings in closed session came after Mr Sreejith said he had to bring certain matters before the court which could not be heard in open proceedings.

Published – 5 Nov 2026 13:57 IST