A Kerala court has rejected the bail pleas of four accused in the Mini Cooper crash near Kochi that killed three young people, as police continue examining the accident site and the vehicle’s technical details.
Angamaly Judicial First Class Magistrate Samyuktha M K dismissed the bail applications filed by Suhail, Ninav, Ameer and Joel, prosecution sources said. The detailed order was awaited at the time of the report.
The crash occurred in the early hours of October 11 on the airport road at Nedumbassery, near Kochi. Suhail, 19, was allegedly driving the car when it rammed into a scooter carrying three youngsters. The victims, including two women, were around 21 years old.
Police invoked additional charges after a medical examination reportedly found that Suhail’s blood alcohol level was around five times the permissible limit. The prosecution also told the court that blood and urine tests indicated that he was heavily intoxicated.
While opposing bail, prosecutors relied on witness statements and CCTV footage. They argued that the investigation remained at a crucial stage and that the two days the accused had spent in police custody were insufficient for the probe. The prosecution also said the accused came from influential families and that their release could hamper the investigation.
The defence disputed the prosecution’s account. Lawyers argued that the victims had violated traffic rules by travelling on a scooter and said there was no direct eyewitness to the crash. Suhail’s lawyer also challenged the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, accused police of sensationalising the incident and said there was no evidence that the car was being driven at high speed.
Police, officials from the Motor Vehicles Department and representatives of Cochin International Airport Ltd inspected the accident site again on Saturday. The joint inspection was intended to assess the vehicle’s speed and examine technical aspects of the road, according to police sources. The involvement of the transport and airport authorities indicates that investigators are examining not only witness accounts and medical evidence but also the road environment and the vehicle’s operation.
Home minister Ramesh Chennithala said the government and the Home Department were taking steps to ensure that the accused received the maximum punishment. “All steps are being taken to ensure this. There will be no situation in which the accused can escape the law. Three young lives have been lost, and we cannot take this incident lightly,” he said.
The case will now proceed while investigators complete the site examination and other evidence-gathering measures. The court’s detailed bail order and the findings from the continuing investigation are expected to clarify the evidentiary basis for the charges.
