STATE OF KERALA Vs. MAJU

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The only question that arises for consideration in this petition filed by the State of Kerala, represented by the investigating officer in Crime No.164/2021 of Nedumudi Police Station, is whether the petitioner herein is entitled to police custody of the accused in the aforesaid Crime after the expiry of the first 15 days of remand on the ground that the application for police custody though filed in time, was not allowed because of the quarantine of the accused following their getting infected with COVID-19 virus during judicial custody.

(2.) The brief facts that led to the filing of the petition is thus:

(3.) It is submitted that considering the peculiar circumstances caused by the pandemic, the Sessions Court ought to have granted custody of the accused to the investigating officer. Because of the dismissal of that application, the accused could not be subjected to custodial interrogation in a very heinous and grave crime.