Sampath case: CBI gets nod to prosecute 7 cops

The Home Department has given nod to the CBI to prosecute seven police officials in connection with the Sampath custodial murder case.

The CBI will file the supplementary chargesheet before the Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate after Onam or by the first week of September.

According to CBI sources, the sanction to prosecute police officials in the case was approved by the Home Department a week ago. “Circle Inspector Vipin Das, Civil Police officers, Ramachandran, Madhavan, Johnson Lobo, Shilan, Abdul Rasheed and Prajith are the policemen to be prosecuted. A case for tampering the evidence was also registred against CI Vipin Das. These policemen are suspected to be involved in the death of Sampath.

Earlier, we had received the prosecution sanction against DySP K Ramachandran, sub-inspectors Ramesh, Unnikrishnan and civil police officer Sham. The chargesheet against them had been filed. It took almost two months to get prosecution sanction against them. So the filing of the chargesheet has been delayed. However, the procedures will be expedited and the supplementary chargesheet would be filed within the next two weeks,” the CBI officials said.



The IPS officials who were included in the Sampath case will not be prosecuted. The CBI investigation has a given clean chit to them. “We have recommended departmental action against the IPS officers. They have no major role in the case. So we have not asked for their prosecution,” the CBI official said.

 Sampath, the prime accused in the murder of Sheela in Palakkad, died in police custody in March 2010. The CBI took over the investigation following an order of the Kerala High Court. The CBI has made Assistant Commissioner Purushothaman Pillai, senior civil police officer Ramdas, and civil police officers Abdul Khayum and Mohammed Shameer as approvers in the case.

 The case was first investigated by a CBI team headed by ASP Haridath. But he was found dead at his house in March. Now, the case is being investigated by a CBI team led by ASP S Jayakumar.