How Kerala Mini Cooper case has given CPI (M) chance to target Congress

Kerala MINI Cooper horror: (L) the car allegedly driven by Suhail Sajeev, (R) screengrab from his Instagram account

The investigation into the Kerala Mini Cooper case has snowballed into a political issue with Opposition CPI(M) alleging the state’s Congress government was shielding the accused. The state government has hit back, with the home minister calling the allegations “baseless”.

This comes after the father of one of the victims alleged that the investigation was being derailed to favour the 19-year-old accused, who hails from a textile business family.

On Sunday, Suhail Sajeev allegedly ran over three youths with his luxury hatchback that he had recently received as a birthday gift from his mother who owns a prominent boutique in Alappuzha. He was allegedly in an inebriated state at the time.

The incident that took place near Kochi international airport has sparked considerable backlash in Kerala and outside.

M R Pradeep Kumar, the father of victim Gopika, told mediapersons: “My daughter was an NSS volunteer and a social activist. I had been toiling to raise her. Even getting tea from a local shop is a luxury for me. We had been struggling to find money to meet her educational expenses. Gopika had undertaken a part-time job to take the burden off my shoulder.”

Gopika, along with Iyas and Devika, all in their early 20s, were returning from their shift at an antique showroom when they were hit by Sajeev’s car in the early hours of Sunday.

“We are still doubtful if we will get justice,” said Kumar, who works as an auto driver in Palakkad.

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Flanked by other grieving family members, Kumar said ministers from Alappuzha, the home district of Sajeev, were trying to scuttle the probe.

‘No minister will interfere’

With the CPI(M) seizing upon the allegation, Congress leader from Alappuzha and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said, “The incident is truly painful. We will ensure that the accused gets the maximum punishment. No minister will interfere in the probe to favour the accused, regardless of which district he hails from.”

He said, “He (Sajeev) hails from my district and it is baseless to say that ministers from Alappuzha will interfere in the probe in favour of the accused. He was sent to borstal school as the law mandates that a person between 18 and 21 should be lodged in that facility. The decision was taken by the court.”

Kerala is among the few states in the country to still have borstal schools, introduced in India during British colonial rule and conceived as “second chance” institutions for young offenders.

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CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan, meanwhile, said the Congress government is shielding the accused person. “He is challenging the legal system with money and power,” he said.

In the Assembly, Excise Minister M Liju said that cases were registered against three liquor bars which served alcohol to Sajeev and his friends, in violation of the abkari act that prohibits its sale to those below the age of 23. One of the bars is housed at a prominent hotel at the airport.

Ernakulam Rural Superintendent of Police K S Sudarshan said there is no ground for the allegation of the victim’s family. “Soon after the incident, based on the statement of one of the friends of the victims, police registered the FIR. We had collected the arrested person’s blood and urine samples to ascertain that he was driving under the influence of alcohol. We are also examining whether he had used drugs at the time of the accident,’’ said the SP.

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More