Kerala High Court Questions Police Over Lapses In Nithin Raj Suicide Case Probe

The Kerala High Court on Friday expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which the police handled the investigation into the Nithin Raj suicide case.

Justice A Badharudeen questioned Deputy Superintendent of Police Sudheer Kallan about the procedural shortcomings in the arrest of Dr M Kodanda Ram, a professor at Kannur Dental College and the main accused in the case.

The court observed that investigations involving sensitive matters must be carried out with strict adherence to legal procedures to prevent any advantage being given to the accused.

During the proceedings, the judge asked the supervising officer to explain how such lapses occurred despite his oversight responsibilities.

Justice Badharudeen also questioned whether the mistakes were deliberate and remarked that such failures could undermine the credibility of the Home Department, even as it continues initiatives such as Operation Toofan. The DySP denied the allegation.

Case Background

Nithin Raj’s parents filed the petition, seeking clarification on the Supreme Court’s directive requiring police to inform an accused of the grounds for arrest at the time of detention.

Police first arrested Dr M Kodanda Ram in connection with the alleged caste-based harassment of Nithin Raj, a Dalit dental student who allegedly died by suicide.

The trial court declared the arrest unlawful after finding that the police had failed to communicate the mandatory grounds for arrest.

The police subsequently carried out a fresh arrest after correcting the procedural defect.

The High Court questioned how an experienced officer could overlook such a fundamental legal requirement during the investigation. It reminded the investigating team that their primary responsibility is to conduct an impartial inquiry that safeguards the interests of both the victim and the accused.

The bench also noted that it had earlier directed disciplinary action against the officers responsible for the lapses.

The High Court will hear the matter again after two weeks and expects the authorities to submit an update on the disciplinary proceedings by then.

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