The Kerala government on Tuesday (June 16, 2026) filed an appeal in the Kerala High Court against the anticipatory bail granted to the accused in the alleged assault on Youth Congress-Kerala Students Union (KSU) activists during the Nava Kerala Sadas programme in Alappuzha.

The special investigation team (SIT), representing the State in the plea, was tasked with the probe into the assault by gunmen and security officials of the former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in December 2023.

The accused had approached the Alappuzha District and Sessions Court for anticipatory bail, claiming that the protesters had moved ‘dangerously’ close to the convoy, warranting their actions to protect the former Chief Minister. Bail was granted to the accused, considering that they are police officers who ‘have no chance to flee from the clutches of law.’ The court also observed that the report of the investigating officer shows that the indispensable need for the presence of the accused can be secured by imposing suitable conditions.

'Faulty observation’

The SIT petition alleged that the Alappuzha court had relied on ‘factually incorrect observation’ that the canes used in the alleged assault have already been surrendered by the accused. But, the plea said, there was no record in the investigation records to support the court’s finding.

Further, the SIT contended that the restrictions on custodial interrogation have a serious impact on the investigation into the matter and requested the court to direct the production of all the documents relating to the bail application by the accused and to quash the anticipatory bail order, so that the SIT can proceed with the investigation into the matter.