ALAPPUZHA: The Principal and Sessions Court here on Thursday acquitted the five accused in the controversial P Krishna Pillai Memorial torching case.The court acquitted Latheesh B Chandran, personal staff member of former chief minister V S Achuthanandan, and four others in the case citing lack of evidence for their role in burning down the Communist leader’s memorial at Kannarakad near Muhamma in Alappuzha on October 31, 2013.
Latheesh, SFI former leader, was the first accused in the chargesheet submitted by the Crime Branch. P Sabu, former secretary of the CPM Kannarkad local committee, CPM members Dipu, Rajesh and Pramod were the other accused. In the verdict, Judge A Badhrudeen said the prosecution has failed to prove the role of the accused in the case.
The assailants burnt down the building and damaged Krishna Pillai’s erected in the compound. The police registered a case. The probe was later handed over to the Crime Branch which booked the five. Following this, the CPM ousted them from the party.
After the judgment, Latheesh said the previous UDF government foisted the case on them. “The original attackers are still at large... The previous government wanted to precipitate the factional feud in the CPM. The Crime Branch had also altered the chargesheet as per the wishes of then ministers,” he said.
P Krishna Pillai used the Chellikandathil home as a hideout when the Communist movement was active in 1940s. He died of a snakebite at the house on August 19, 1948. There were 72 witnesses in the case. The state police had decided to subject the accused to the narcoanalysis test, but the Kerala High Court prevented it following a plea filed by Latheesh.