KOCHI: The Additional District Sessions Court will issue order on a petition filed by the Internal Security Investigation Team (ISIT) for the custody of Maoist leader Roopesh and his wife Shyna on May 23.
The counsel for Roopesh and Shyna filed an objection against sending them to police custody, on which the court conducted hearing on Friday.
Thushar Nirmal Sarathy, who appeared for Roopesh and Shyna, said that the Kerala Police while interrogating the couple in Tamil Nadu had allegedly warned that they would be killed after bringing them to Kerala.
Subsequently, a complaint was filed with the Sessions Court in Coimbatore. The counsel also requested permission to meet Roopesh and Shyna once daily while they are in police custody to check any kind of custodial torture.
“The accused persons were never absconding. They have been active in politics for several years. After the arrest of Maoist leader Malla Raja Reddy and his wife at Perumbavoor in 2007, the police did not make any attempt to arrest Roopesh and Shyna. Now, they are being implicated in the crime with malafide intention,” he said.
Thushar submitted before the court that the Andhra Police had kidnapped Malla Raja Reddy and wife at Perumbavoor with the intention to kill them.
But, when they resisted and shouted, local residents gathered and foiled the plan of the police. Later, a case was registered to cover up the unlawful activities of the Andhra Police.
Another petition was filed for providing medical aid to Shyna.
Meanwhile, District Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor P K Sajeevan submitted that custody of Roopesh and Shyna was required for 15 days for witnesses to identify them and for gathering evidence.