THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The arrest of an RSS/BJP worker Nijil Das, who is an accused in the murder of a CPI-M worker, Punnol Haridas from a house located less than 100 meters from the ancestral residence of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has left the part leaders red-faced.
The arrest took place on Saturday. The house, which hosted Nijil Das, is owned by Prasanth, who is an NRI and his wife Reshma, a teacher at a private school in Thalassery.
While the CPI-M Kannur district secretary M.V. Jayarajan alleges that Prasanth and his wife Reshma are supporters of the RSS/BJP, the local CPI-M leadership at Chief Minister's village said that the family was associated with the party. These diametrically opposite statements from the CPI-M local leaders and the district leadership have created confusion.
While Nijil Das is remanded in judicial custody, Reshma, who was also arrested for harbouring a criminal case accused, was granted bail by the Kannur district court.
Jayarajan while speaking to the mediapersons at Kannur on Sunday said that when Reshma got bail she was welcomed by BJP Thalassery unit general secretary K. Ajesh and that the advocate who appeared for Reshma was Premarajan was a lawyer representing the BJP.
Haridas was murdered on February 21, 2022, allegedly by RSS, BJP workers at his residence. He was a fisherman and had reached back home in the early morning of February 21.
BJP state president K. Surendran in a statement said that the party was never involved in the murder of CPI-M worker Punnol Haridas and that the Kerala Chief Minister must answer as to how one of the accused was in hiding at a residence close to the ancestral home of the Chief Minister which is a red fort.
Meanwhile, Advocate P. Premarajan, who appeared for Reshma in Kannur district court while speaking to media persons said that character assassination of his client was taking place in social media and that they will take legal measures against this.
BJP Kannur district vice president V. Manivarnan while speaking to IANS said, "It is for the police to bring out the facts. How can an accused stay in hiding at a place close to the residence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan where there is a complete dominance of the CPI-M. Let the police bring out the truth and who was instrumental in the murder of Haridas. We demand a detailed investigation."
The red fort of Kannur district of Kerala, which is the home district of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, LDF convenor E.P. Jayarajan and Chief Minister's Political secretary P. Sasi are now giving sleepless nights to the district leadership of the CPI-M.