Cheranalloor luxury car crash: Kerala HC directs police not to arrest accused judge until further orders

Forensic officials collecting evidence from the car involved in the fatal accident at Cheranalloor in Kochi on Sunday (October 25, 2026) | Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT

The Kerala High Court on Thursday (October 29, 2026) directed police authorities not to arrest the Additional District Judge, who’s the father of the 17-year-old boy who drove the car involved in the Cheranalloor accident case until further orders.

Justice Kauser Edappagath orally remarked that the court could not succumb to public opinion, saying that “the law has to be strictly followed.” He directed the accused judicial officer to cooperate with the investigation. 

The court also allowed the family members of the accident victim, Jayabalakrishnan, to be impleaded in the anticipatory bail petition filed by the judicial officer.

The accident occured at Maraparambu on Container Road in Cheranalloor on Sunday, where the car allegedly driven by the minor hit the victim’s scooter around 2 am. 

The juvenile was recently granted bail by the Juvenile Justice Board, Ernakulam, citing a lack of criminal history. The case was initially registered against the minor. His father was later booked under the Motor Vehicles Act as the registered owner of the car and the guardian of the juvenile driver.

Published - October 29, 2026 01:30 pm IST