KOCHI: After bearing the brunt of the CBI investigation into the Kathiroor Manoj murder case, the CPM leadership in Kannur is now facing more trouble with the the CBI taking over investigation of the Ariyil Shukkoor murder case on Friday.
It is alleged that Shukkoor, an Indian Union Muslim League(IUML) activist, was murdered by CPM activists in February 2012. In the FIR filed before the Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on Friday, CPM Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan and T V Rajesh MLA have been included as the 32nd and 33rd accused, respectively. As per the FIR, Sumesh K V, 30; Ganeshan P, 26; Anoop P, 36; Vijesh alias Babukutty, 31; Prakashan, 36; Umeshan V, 36; Pavithran P, 42; Latheesh C, 33; Manoharan P V, 37; N P Dineshan alias Myna Dineshan, 44; C N Mohanan 42; Bijumon, 36; N Nidhin, 27; E P Radhakrishnan, 41; Shijin Mohan, 25; K V Sajith, 34; Sudhakaran alias Conductor Sudhakaran, 42; Naveen N P, 32; Syamjith 30; Sareesh A, 31; Shaji K V, 38; Prakashan M, 37; Ajayakumar alias Ajayan, 45; Rajeevan P, 42; V V Mohanan, 52; Purushothaman M V alias Purushu 48; P K Ajithkumar, 46; P P Sureshan, 45; K Babu, 43; U V Venu, 53; A V Babu, 41; P Jayarajan, 59 and T V Rajesh 42 are the accused in the case. The CBI took over the case based on a directive issued by the Kerala High Court to conduct further investigation, after the mother of the deceased filed a petition in February, seeking CBI probe. The police, who first investigated the case, had filed chargesheet in the Magistrate Court, which was later transferred to the Thalassery Sessions Court for trial proceedings.
The case is probed by the Special Crime Branch (SPC) of the CBI in Thiruvananthapuram. CBI inspector A N Sallil is the investigation officer. The High Court had severely criticised the Kerala Police and the investigation officer as Jayarajan and Rajesh were charged only under Section-118 of the IPC (Concealing Design to Commit Offence Punishable with Death or Imprisonment for Life), whereas accused number 28,29,30 and 31 were charged with offence under Section-120(B) of the IPC (Criminal Conspiracy).
It was in February 2012 that Shukkoor was murdered at Keezhara in Kannur, in a follow up action after IUML activists allegedly attacked CPM leaders.
The conspiracy to attack Shukkoor was hatched at the hospital where Jayarajan and Rajesh were admitted after the attack by IUML sympathisers. Though the conversation was overheard by the petitioners, no measures were taken to prevent the crime.
In 2012, the police arrested Jayarajan and Rajesh after arraigning them as accused in the case.
