CHENNAI: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Tamil Nadu president Anandan on Thursday named former DMK ministers PK Sekarbabu and Avadi SM Nasar while alleging a political motive behind the murder of former BSP state president K Armstrong. He also welcomed the state government’s decision to withdraw its appeal in the Supreme Court against the Madras High Court’s order transferring the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Addressing reporters, Anandan claimed photographs showing the accused with the two former ministers had surfaced, raising questions among the public. He alleged Armstrong’s murder was politically motivated and not the handiwork of rowdy elements.
Recalling the legal battle over the investigation, Anandan said the DMK government had opposed the transfer of the case to the CBI and continued to challenge the Madras High Court’s order despite BSP national president Mayawati’s demand that the probe be handed over to the central agency if the then ruling party had no role in the murder.
He said the government’s decision to withdraw its appeal would be welcomed by the public, particularly members of the Scheduled Caste community, who had been demanding justice for Armstrong’s murder.
Anandan further alleged the killing of the state president of a national party in former Chief Minister MK Stalin’s Kolathur Assembly constituency reflected a deterioration in the state’s law and order situation. Referring to the observations of Justice P Velmurugan while ordering a CBI probe, he alleged the state police had failed to conduct a fair and proper investigation into the case.