KOCHI: The state government on Wednesday submitted before the Kerala High Court that the accused in the Madhu lynching case had engaged middlemen and agents on a large scale to influence witnesses. “Most of the accused were found to be in contact with all the major witnesses over phone on many occasions,” Director General of Prosecutions T A Shaji said.
The government made the submission while opposing the petitions filed by the accused seeking to quash the order of the Special Court under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act cancelling their bail. The government said all the witnesses hail from tribal hamlets. They are economically, educationally and socially disadvantaged and are gullible and capable of being easily influenced. Madhu’s mother too was threatened. Of the 16 accused, the bail granted to 12 stands cancelled by the trial court.