Biju's counsel on Friday informed the Ettumanoor court that the SP was a close relative of Rehna, Neenu Chacko's mother.Kottayam: In a fresh blow to the Kerala police, suspended Gandhinagar assistant sub-inspector Biju told the Ettumanur Judicial First-Class Magistrate Court that the then superintendent of police, Kottayam, Mohammed Rafeeq was a relative of one of the accused in the Kevin murder case.
Biju's counsel on Friday informed the Ettumanoor court that the SP was a close relative of Rehna, Neenu Chacko's mother. Rehna is one of the accused in the Kevin murder case and was absconding.
Biju, who was suspended for aiding the abduction of Kevin P Joseph, was arrested on Thursday in connection with the case. The police had also arrested patrol jeep driver Ajayakumar.
Police said the ASI and the driver, on a night patrol on May 26, had intercepted a car used by the gang after noticing that its number plate was hidden.
However, the two had allowed the vehicle to proceed after taking a bribe of Rs 2,000, they said.
Biju said he was being made a scapegoat to save Rafeeq, who was removed from the post as soon as the police found Kevin's body.
Earlier, the Kerala chief minister's office had said that Rafique misled CM Pinarayi Vijayan with regard to the abduction of Kevin from a relative's house in Kottayam.
According to reports, the CM, who had engagements in Kottayam on the day Kevin was abducted, had summoned the SP to the tourist bungalow and ordered a prompt probe. However, the officer told the CM that a deputy superintendent of police was already on the job.
However, Rafeeq on Friday denied allegations of him misleading the CM.
Kevin was abducted on May 27 in Kottayam by a gang allegedly engaged by his fiancee Neenu Chacko's family, opposed to their marriage move. His body was found in a river in Kollam district a day later.
Kevin's killing has rocked the state with opposition Congress and BJP attacking the LDF government over it. State governor P Sathasivam has asked people to be on guard against intolerance raising its 'ugly head' in the form of honour killing.
