Chaini Parwani –
Published On: December 2, 2021 at 14:50 IST
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday Arrested five more men, all linked to the CPM, in association with the Murder of Youth Congress workers Kripesh, and Sarath Lal P K, in 2019.
It came into light after the probe by the police that three of these five accused were named as ‘Prosecution Witnesses’ in their Chargesheet.
The CBI Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) T P Ananthakrishnan stated that the arrested persons, CPM Echiladukkam branch secretary Rajesh, 38, Reji Varghese, 44, of Echiladukkam; Surendran, 47, alias Vishnu Sura, Sastha Madhu, 40, and Hariprasad M, 31, also from Echiladukkam will be produced in the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Ernakulam on Thursday.
Earlier, Rajesh, Hariprasad and Reji Varghese were noted as ‘Prosecution Witness’ in the chargesheet submitted in May 2019.
M K Baburaj, an Advocate and friend of Sarath Lal’s father Sathyanarayanan stated “They had no evidentiary value to help prosecute the Accused. We stand vindicated today.”
The Crime Branch had earlier arrested 14 CPM supporters and members, including CPM leader and Kanhangad block Panchayat President K Manikandan, in association with the Double Murder.
Further it was also highlighted that the Murder of the two Youth Congress workers was because of personal enmity led by the first Accused Peethambaran.
Furthermore, the Kerala High Court on September 30, 2019, quashed the chargesheet and directed the case to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The CBI began the probe by re-creating the Crime Scene at Kalliyot on December 14, 2020.
On August 4, 2021, the High Court set a four-month ultimatum to the CBI to submit the chargesheet.
Further Dy SP Ananthakrishnan noted the CBI will try to submit the chargesheet before the deadline ends.