KOCHI: In an embarrassment to the LDF Government, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday asked the Crime Branch how the reason for the murder of the two Youth Congress leaders at Periya in Kasaragod turned out to be personal animosity in the final report, when the first information report (FIR) had stated it was a ‘political murder’.
The court raised the query when the bail plea of three accused came up for hearing.
The court also came out against the Crime Branch for not collecting fingerprints of the accused from the material objects.
The court observed if there was no occurrence witness in the case, the Crime Branch should have collected fingerprints from the vehicle used by the killers and weapons. The prosecution said there was material to prove the complicity of the accused.
The prosecution submitted that the Crime Branch filed the chargesheet before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Hosdurg, stating Youth Congress workers Kripesh and P K Sarath Lal were murdered by CPM men because of personal enmity. It was not due to political vengeance.
One month prior to the incident, Peethambaran, former CPM leader and the first accused in the case, was attacked. One of the deceased was accused in the attack case and as a retaliation to the incident, the youths were murdered. Counsel for the petitioners endorsed the view of the prosecution.
Then the court asked if the enmity was against one person, how were two youths killed?
Senior advocate B Raman Pillai argued there was no evidence against the petitioners - second accused Saji C George, Pullur, ninth accused Murali, Thannithode, and tenth accused T Ranjith alias Appu. The prosecution replied they were actively involved in the crime.
The call data records of the petitioners reveal they had hatched a conspiracy to kill the youths at Echiladukam bus stop two days prior to the incident.
Meanwhile, the court asked whether the parents of the deceased would be impleaded in the case. The prosecution opposed it. The Crime Branch also produced the case diary in the case. The court adjourned the case to May 28.