KOCHI: Three accused persons involved in the murder of Youth Congress leader S P Shuhaib at Mattannur are still at large and further investigation in the case is progressing, the state government informed the High Court on Monday.
This was submitted by senior government pleader Suman Chakravarthy when the appeal filed by the state government challenging the single judge’s order for CBI probe came up for hearing. He also submitted the police had filed chargesheet against 11 accused and four accused, who committed the murder, are still in the judicial custody. The court adjourned the final hearing of the petition to November 12.
T Asaf Ali, counsel for the parents of deceased Shuhaib, submitted that FIR has revealed the killer gang had terrorised people by exploding bombs and inflicted 41 stab wounds with deadly weapons on Shuhaib.
They also inflicted grievous injuries on two others. Though it was a terror attack, which is an offence punishable under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the police did not invoke provisions of the Act due to political intervention, he submitted. Shuhaib’s parents said the arrested accused are hardcore criminals involved in various murder cases and had no enmity towards their son.
However, CPM leaders in the district were harbouring ill-will towards Shuhaib due to political vendetta.
They said the murder was the result of a larger conspiracy hatched by top CPM leaders in Kannur. Hence a free and fair investigation by Kerala police would be impossible, they alleged.
Meanwhile, K P Prasanth, the CPM’s former Edayannur local secretary and the 14th accused in the case, on Monday was arrested by a team headed by the Mattannur CI Joshy Jose.
Parents’ argument
Shuhaib’s parents said the arrested accused are hardcore criminals and had no enmity towards their son. However, CPM leaders in the district were harbouring ill-will towards Shuhaib due to political vendetta.