HC seeks govt.’s view on plea by deceased student’s father

The Kerala High Court on Friday sought the State government’s view on a petition that sought to quash the order of the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), Kozhikode, directing the superintendent of an observation home to allow the five students who were charged with murdering a student — Shahabaz of Thamarassery — to write the SSLC examination.

The petition was filed by Muhammed Iqbal, father of the deceased boy who too was a Class 10 student. Terming the JJB’s decision as unjust, illegal, and arbitrary and in violation of fundamental rights, Mr. Iqbal alleged that the Board had failed to consider the fact that the five students could tamper with evidence and intimidate witnesses. Also, fellow students who were writing the exams would be “mentally affected” by their presence, he argued.