Kochi, February 16: The Kerala High Court has amended its previous interim order regarding the Suraj Lama case, directing that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) will now be led by the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police instead of the Police Commissioner.
In an interim order issued on February 11, the bench had initially stated that the SIT would be headed by the Police Commissioner or an officer of equivalent rank. However, upon the request of the government lawyer, Justices Devan Ramachandran and M.B. Snehalatha revised the directive to appoint a DIG to lead the investigation.
The court instructed the SIT to continue its investigation, documenting the sequence of events from Lama’s arrival in India to his subsequent death. Suraj Lama, an Indian citizen exiled from Kuwait, went missing after landing in Kochi. His body was later recovered from Kalamassery, and forensic examination confirmed it was indeed Lama’s.
This case has become a subject of judicial inquiry, especially after it was revealed that, despite being in a clearly vulnerable state, which included cognitive and other potential impairments, he was allowed to exit the airport without assistance by immigration and airport security officials.
The court expressed concern over the administrative management of exiles, questioning whether there are standard protocols in place for handling individuals in such circumstances. Despite the identification of Lama’s body, the bench refused to dismiss the habeas corpus petition during the previous hearing.
The court emphasized that the SIT must continue investigating the events following Lama’s arrival in India, stating that the possibility of murder cannot be ruled out at this stage.
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