BJP councillor R. Sugathan’s police custody ends without evidence collection

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Thiruvananthapuram Corporation councillor and BJP leader R. Sugathan returned to judicial custody after the Nedumangad Judicial First Class Magistrate Court – II granted the police his custody for a few hours for evidence collection on Wednesday.

The investigation team returned him without carrying out the planned evidence collection in the temple festival assault case, one of the two cases for which he is presently remanded.

Earlier in the day, the court had granted the police custody of the Vazhottukonam ward councillor, who is also an accused under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act (KAAPA), for nearly four hours until 5.30 p.m. after considering the investigating team’s request to recover the weapon allegedly used in the attack. The police had sought two days of custody, but their request was denied.

However, the investigation team later decided against conducting evidence collection as the accused purportedly did not cooperate with questioning and did not disclose the location of the weapon, official sources said.

During the proceedings, Mr. Sugathan alleged that he was harassed and threatened by police officers while being taken for a medical examination after his initial appearance before the court around 11 a.m. He claimed that the Vattiyurkavu Sub-Inspector behaved improperly while transporting him in a police vehicle.

The court recorded his complaint and sought details regarding the officers who accompanied him during the medical examination. Considering the seriousness of the allegation, the court directed that the custody supervision be handed over to the Crime Sub-Inspector.

The case relates to an alleged assault during the Vellaikkadavu temple festival in Vattiyurkavu on March 23, where the councillor allegedly attacked a person using a weapon. He is also charged by the Vattiyurkavu police in another case for allegedly attacking police personnel who had gone to arrest him.

Mr. Sugathan, who had been lodged at Viyyur Central Prison, was brought t