The Kerala High Court intervened decisively in the tragic saga of Suraj Lama, ordering sustained investigation into his deportation from Kuwait, disappearance, and death. The division bench of Justices Devan Ramachandran and M.B. Snehulata turned down requests to shelve the habeas corpus plea, stressing the need for a thorough examination of all circumstances.
Deported officially to Kochi, Lama presented signs of frailty and cognitive distress, yet received clearance from immigration and airport authorities sans aid. He departed the premises independently, only for a missing report to trigger police intervention. Taken into protective custody, he was rushed to Kalamassery Medical College Hospital.
Discharged after a clean bill of health from physicians, his decomposed body was discovered nearby. Forensic analysis verified it as Lama’s, though the interim post-mortem on December 1, 2025, couldn’t ascertain cause due to decay.
Declaring the case ‘completely open,’ the court mandated the SIT—headed by City Police Commissioner rank—to pursue leads relentlessly. Full documentation of the timeline, from entry to recovery, is required, alongside missing file and autopsy submissions.
Allegations of systemic oversights in clearance, handling, and care drew sharp court attention. While acknowledging murder theories from petitioners, judges delimited scope to event sequencing. This pivotal order underscores judicial vigilance over vulnerable repatriates, with follow-up in three weeks.