KASARGOD: The motorcycle of A Subeesh -- the eight accused in the double murder of Youth Congress workers Kripesh and Sarath Lal -- is missing from the custody of the Crime Branch, triggering angry protests from the Youth Congress.
According to a note submitted by the Kerala Police's Crime Branch to the high court, Subeesh was the only hired assassin of the group of eight men who allegedly hacked to death Kripesh and Sarath Lal at Kalliyot near Periya on February 17, 2019. In all, there are 14 accused in the case, all are leaders, members, or supporters of the CPM.
The family of the victims had alleged Subeesh was the link to 'Kannur lobby' -- a euphemism for CPM's allegedly hitmen -- and the party had always tried to protect him.
Officers of the Crime Branch 'realised' the motorcycle was missing when they were trying to hand over the pieces of evidence to the CBI, which is now investigating the case. "We are not able to find the motorcycle," said an officer with the Crime Branch.
CBI DySP T P Ananthakrishnan said the agency had sent a letter to the Crime Branch seeking possession of all the pieces of evidence. "We have not heard from them, yet," he said.
Bekal DySP Sunil Kumar C K said the motorcycle could have been misplaced as the Bekal police station building was recently renovated.
The Crime Branch had impounded three cars, one jeep, and five motorcycles allegedly used by the accused. Only Subeesh's motorcycle is missing. Investigators said he had used the vehicle to come to the crime scene.
Youth Congress protest
The Youth Congress took out a protest march to Bekal police station after coming to know that Subeesh's motorcycle is missing. After inaugurating the protest meet, Congress district president Hakeem Kunnil: "We suspect that the motorcycle has been displaced to sabotage the investigation".
Going by the Crime Branch report, Subeesh was an important person in the gang which killed Kripesh and Sarath Lal, said Youth Congress district president B P Pradeep Kumar. "And they are doing everything to protect him," he said.
Subeesh's role is yet to be unravelled
Though Subeesh is the eighth accused in the case, he presents an intriguing case. According to the Crime Branch report, Subeesh was the only person 'hired' by the accused no. 1 A Peethambaran to execute the crime.
He was also the only accused to flee abroad after the crime. Investigating officers, who were shuffled and kept out of the case, said Subeesh is a headload worker affiliated to the CITU, the CPM's trade union. He is a native of Kundamkuzhi in Bedakam and resided at Velutholi in Pallikkara panchayat.
He has never gone abroad before but after the crime, he managed to slip into Sharjah, said an officer. He stayed there for 88 days. During the time, most of the accused were arrested and questioned.
Subeesh returned on May 16, 2019, just a day before the 90-day window for police to file their charge sheet came to an end.
The Crime Branch arrested him from Mangaluru International Airport and produced him before the court, which remanded him in custody the same day.
The Crime Branch did not seek his custody for interrogation but submitted the charge sheet the next day. "So we don't know who paid for his visa to the UAE, or for his to and fro flight tickets or where and with whom he stayed in Sharjah," said the officer. "Whoever wanted him out of the country surely had a lot to hide," the officer had said.
Meanwhile, CBI DySP Ananthakrishnan said his team questioned all the 11 accused in prison over a period of three days. Three accused, including Kanhangad block panchayat president K Manikandan, who got bail were also questioned.
To be sure, the LDF government had opposed the CBI from taking over the investigation and went up to the Supreme Court. After stonewalling for nearly two years, the Supreme Court on December 1, 2020, rejected the state government appeal against a CBI probe.