KOCHI: In a major development after submitting the chargesheet in the sensational firing incident that occurred at the beauty salon owned by actor Leena Maria Paul in Kochi, the Crime Branch special investigation team has identified the duo who took part in the operation.
According to sources with the investigation team, both persons hail from Kasargod. They fled from the country after the incident. Of the two, the person who opened fire is a close associate of underworld don Ravi Poojari while the other person is a notorious criminal.
“The investigation team has received the whereabouts of the duo and efforts are on to bring them to Kochi,” said an officer. Earlier, on Tuesday, the investigation team submitted a chargesheet before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court (Economic Offenses), Ernakulam, figuring Ravi Poojari as the lone accused.
He is charged under sections 452 (house trespass), 387 (putting person in fear of death or of grievous hurt, in order to commit extortion), 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication) and 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy). The chargesheet was filed in the wake of the arrest of the gangster in Senegal recently.
As per the chargesheet, the attack was part of Poojari’s attempt to extort money from the actor.The investigation team has intensified the probe to trace the doctor couple who allegedly provided assistance to the two-member gang in the operation.
Court accepts chargesheet
The Ernakulam Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court (Economic Offenses) on Wednesday accepted the chargesheet in the case related to the firing incident at actor Leena Maria Paul’s beauty parlour in Kochi after completing the scrutiny of the documents. Mumbai underworld don Mangaluru-based Ravi Poojari is the only accused as per the chargesheet filed by Crime Branch DySP Jossy Cherian. The court posted the hearing to June 6.