Establishing the role of CPM state leadership in harbouring CPM Panur Area Committee member P K Kunjananthan, the Special Investigation Team probing Chandrasekharan murder has made CPM state committee member and former SFI national president K K Ragesh an accused in the case on Thursday.
The SIT has received concrete evidence that Ragesh provided hideout to Kunjananthan, who is reportedly the mastermind behind the execution of the killing, while the latter was absconding. This is for the first time that a state committee leader of the party is being named as an accused in the politically sensitive murder case.
Earlier, the SIT had issued a notice for interrogation to Ragesh for providing assistance to Kunjananthan and he had been asked to appear before the investigation team on June 27. But he informed the SIT that he could not appear before the officials as he was undergoing medical treatment, and that he would do so within 20 days. But the SIT got information that he was actively participating in many programmes organised by the CPM in the Kannur district, said police sources.
His name has been included in the list of the accused as the investigation officials received evidence that Ragesh had directed SFI Kannur district president Sarin Sasi to provide a safe hideout to Kunjananthan. Sarin had also revealed it when he was taken into custody. Police officials said that Ragesh was charged under Section 212 (harbouring the offender) of the Indian Penal Code, which is a bailable offence.
Kunjananthan, who stayed in Bangalore and Belgaum to evade arrest after a lookout circular was issued against him by the SIT, returned to Kannur and lived in party strongholds. Earlier, CPM Panur Area Committee Secretary Pavithran Master had also been taken into custody by the police for providing shelter to Kunjananthan.
Meanwhile, police on Thursday arrested three CPM activists Ponnathu Rajan, Ponnathu Kumaran and Kalathil Yusuf, all hailig from Panur for providing shelter to Kunjananthan. All were arrested on charges under Section 212 of IPC and later released on bail.
Vadakara Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Thursday extended the remand of CPM Onchiyam Area Secretary C H Asokan and Area Committee Member K K Krishnan, Jabir and Afsal to July 19.