Daijiworld Media Network - Kochi

Kochi, Dec 1: The Kerala High Court on Monday directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to provide complete information regarding a body recovered from a marshy area in Kalamassery, suspected to be that of 50-year-old Suraj Lama, who went missing on October 5 after arriving in Kochi from Kuwait.

The directions came during the hearing of a habeas corpus petition filed by Lama’s son, alleging police negligence and inaction. A Division Bench comprising Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice M.B. Snehalatha also instructed the Superintendent of the Medical College Hospital, where Lama was reportedly taken by police, to submit all medical records and reports by Thursday, December 4.

The court expressed concern over the handling of the case, stressing the need for a detailed account of how Lama was admitted and discharged from the hospital. "We need full details now. We need a minute-by-minute breakdown. We are literally hoping and praying this is not his body," the bench said.

Noting that Lama had cognitive impairment due to an accident abroad and had been sent back to India for treatment, the court also questioned the city’s surveillance systems. Authorities confirmed that postmortem, scientific examination, and DNA profiling are underway to ascertain the identity of the body found in the HMT area marshland.

The bench criticized the police for failing to act during the critical ‘golden period’ in missing person cases and raised concerns about why such areas remain unsupervised. It reaffirmed that the Special Investigation Team (SIT), previously appointed by the court, should continue probing the case, including tracing Lama’s belongings sent from Kuwait.

The court clarified that the SIT, not local police, must furnish all details at the next hearing.