Kerala High Court Stays Order Allowing Escorted Movement of Juveniles in Karuvatta Murder Case

The Kerala High Court has intervened in the Karuvatta murder investigation, staying a Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) order that allowed police to escort four minors out of an observation home for evidence recovery.

Justice G. Girish, presiding over a single bench, issued the stay on a petition filed by three of the juveniles. The court has granted the state time to respond to the plea, effectively halting the Board's directive that permitted the children's movement to various public locations in Alappuzha district for investigation purposes.

The JJB had originally sanctioned the police request, citing the severity of the alleged crime. That order came with conditions aimed at safeguarding the minors' welfare, including restricting movement to specified purposes, using an unidentifiable vehicle to avoid public attention, and barring media or social media exposure. The Special Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU) was tasked with responsibility for the children during the process.

In their petition, the juveniles argued that the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, contains no provision for "escorted movement" for evidence collection. They contended that the investigation could proceed through less intrusive means, such as analysing CCTV footage, examining independent witnesses, or employing digital forensics and Cyber Cell intervention, without removing them from the Observation Home in Alappuzha.

The petitioners also raised concerns about the designation of the officer in charge, questioning whether they held a valid Child Welfare Police Officer (CWPO) status and had received the mandatory SJPU training. They further alleged that the Board's order kept the date and time of the movement secret and that the Board lacked the authority to grant police custody of a child in conflict with the law.

Four minors are currently under investigation in connection with the murder of a man in Alappuzha.