In fresh trouble for a senior CPI-M functionary inKerala, police today booked him in another murder case on the basis of hiscontroversial speech on eliminating political foes.
For the first time, the case naming a specific murder of a man in 1980s wasregistered against Idukki district CPI-M Secretary M M Mani and four others inRajakad police station in the district, police said.
The case listing conspiracy and murder charges relates to the killing of oneAnjeri Baby in 1980s.
Mani, whose speech has landed the party in a serious embarrassment, had alreadybeen booked for murder last week for his remarks at a public meeting inThodupuzha that the party had eliminated political foes in the past.
A special investigation team set up by Congress-led UDF government in the statehas already summoned Mani to appear before it for questioning in connectionwith his speech.
In the first case in which Mani had been charged with murder, abetment andconcealing information, police had not named any specific victim.
Mani, who had remained definat refusing to step down from the organisationalpost, also seems to be facing disciplinary action by the party which haddescribed his statement as a deviation from the party ideological line.
According to party sources, Mani is expected to face disciplinary action as theparty's central and state leaderships viewed his controversial speechseriously.
The sources said CPI(M) state Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan made this clear at ameeting of party functionaries from southern districts here yesterday.
In Kochi, Vijayan tonight termed as illegal the filing of the case against Manifor his controversial speech, saying no crime can be registered on the basis ofthat speech.
Senior leader and Politburo member S Ramachandran Pillai said Mani's statementwas a "mistake". The party does not annihilate its adversaries byconspiring and drawing up a list, he said. "The Marxist party is againstany violence."
Mani's speech came at a time when CPI-M has been in the dock after the arrestof some of its activists in connection with the recent murder of party rebeland Revolutionary Marxist Party leader T P Chandrasekharan.