The cross examination of witnesses as part of trial proceedings initiated against human rights activist ‘GROW’ Vasu who was arrested and remanded in judicial custody on July 29 in connection with an old protest was completed at the Kunnamangalam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Thursday.
Jayachandran, a civil police officer and the fourth witness in the case, was re-examined by the court based on the request of the prosecution. He testified before the court that he had seen the protest of Mr. Vasu near the Kozhikode Medical College Mortuary interrupting the passage of vehicles. He came up with the strong statement when the seventh witness in the case recently turned hostile.
After the proceedings, the court also directed Mr. Vasu not to shout slogans on its premises. The court intervened after noticing his attempts for the same. However, the 93-year-old ex-Naxalite leader was found raising slogans again while returning to the police vehicle.
Mr. Vasu who was arrested invoking Sections 141 and 353 of the Indian Penal Code for unlawful assembly and assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty was remanded in judicial custody as he refused to cooperate with the bail proceedings and accept the bail conditions. It was a protest in 2016 flaying the encounter killing of two Maoist leaders- Kuppu Devaraj and Ajitha- in Nilambur that landed him in trouble.
He had also tried to raise his protest in the court and criticised the State government alleging that there were two types of justice prevailing in the State. His unrestricted interaction with the media flaying the State government had even resulted in an internal inquiry against a few police officers who were on duty at the time.
