Mini Cooper crash: Kerala court rejects bail pleas of 4 accused in accident that killed 3

KOCHI: A Kerala court on Saturday rejected the bail pleas of four accused in the Mini Cooper crash near Kochi that killed three youngsters, prosecution sources said.Angamaly Judicial First Class Magistrate Samyuktha M K dismissed the pleas filed by Suhail, Ninav, Ameer and Joel. The detailed order is awaited.Suhail, 19, allegedly driving the car, rammed into a scooter carrying three youngsters on the airport road at Nedumbassery in the early hours of October 11. The victims, including two women, were around 21 years old.A medical examination reportedly found that Suhail’s blood alcohol level was around five times the permissible limit, prompting police to invoke additional charges.Opposing the bail pleas on Friday, the prosecution cited witness statements and CCTV footage as evidence against the accused. It also said blood and urine tests indicated that Suhail was heavily intoxicated.The prosecution argued that the investigation was at a crucial stage and that the two days the accused had spent in police custody were insufficient for the probe. It also contended that the accused came from influential families and their release could hamper the investigation.The defence claimed that the victims had violated traffic rules by travelling on a scooter. Suhail’s lawyer argued that there was no direct eyewitness to the crash and challenged the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The defence also accused police of sensationalising the incident and said there was no evidence that the car was being driven at high speed.Meanwhile, police, along with officials from the Motor Vehicles Department and Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL), inspected the accident site again on Saturday to assess the car’s speed and examine technical aspects of the road, police sources said.Home minister Ramesh Chennithala said the government and the Home Department were taking steps to ensure 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.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kochi | Silver Rate in Kochi | Bank Holidays in Kochi | Public Holidays in KochiStay updated with the latest Kochi news. Download the TOI App.