The Ernakulam Juvenile Justice Board granted bail to a 17-year-old, son of an additional sessions judge, accused of fatal hit-and-run in Kochi. The minor was driving a Mercedes that struck and killed a scooterist.
Ernakulam JJB Grants Bail to Judge's Minor Son in Fatal Hit-and-Run
The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) in Ernakulam granted bail to a 17-year-old accused in a fatal road accident that resulted in the death of a scooterist, Jayabalakrishnan (55), in Cheranalloor, Kochi. The minor, the son of an additional sessions judge, was driving a Mercedes-Benz when the collision occurred around 2:20 AM on Sunday.
The First Information Report, registered by Cheranalloor police under relevant sections of the IPC including 304A (causing death by negligence), indicates the minor was likely speeding and lost control. However, the JJB, applying principles under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, held that custodial detention was not warranted given the accused’s age, lack of prior history, and willingness to cooperate. The Board also noted that the family had offered to make amends.
The decision highlights the rehabilitative focus of juvenile justice in India, especially in cases involving inadvertent acts. For practitioners, this underscores that even in high-profile cases involving privileged individuals, procedural fairness and the specific protections under juvenile law are increasingly being upheld by juvenile boards.
Citations
- FIR under Section 304A IPC, Juvenile Justice Act, 2015
