Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala police officer who was suspended in connection with the Kevin murder case resumed office on Tuesday (May 28) with special order from the IG. Regarding this, Kevin's father will file a complaint with the Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and opposition leader for reinstating the police official.  

MS Shibu was undergoing internal inquiry, but apparently he received a clean chit by Kochi range IG Vijay Sakhare. Kottayam SP Harisankar said Shibu should not be reinstated in any of the police stations in Kottayam district, Kerala.

Harisankar said to media that he received an order from the IG for reinstating Shibu into service.  Harisankar said the details of Shibu’s punishment, which will be department-level action, are likely to be followed.

According to sources on February 15, Sakhare issued a termination notice to Shibu, alleging that there were serious lapses found in Kevin murder case.  Meanwhile, according to reports, Shibu submitted valid reasons for the charges levelled against him in the investigation report. 

The trial of the Kevin murder case had begun at the Kottayam Principal Sessions Court, Kerala on April 24. In May last year, Kevin P Joseph, the 23-year-old, was brutally butchered by a gang of 14 for allegedly marrying 20-year-old Neenu, who is from a wealthy family in Kerala.

Neenu, wife of Kevin, gave her statement on May 2. Neenu was in tears when she mentioned at the court that it was a case of honour killing. 

Neenu's statement was against her father Chacko, an acquaintance of Niyas, and police officer Shibu. Neenu said at the court that her father was against her relationship with Kevin because he belonged to a backward caste. Neenu said that her father repeatedly spoke of how their family's prestige was at stake if Neenu married Kevin.

The wife also added that her father and brother were the reason for Kevin's death and she has the responsibility to take care of Kevin's parents, and thus she is staying with Kevin's family. She then said that police officer Shibu had attacked Kevin and forced her to go with her father. Neenu added that the police officer forcefully made her write on paper that she was willingly going with her parents.