Mangaluru: The Crime Branch has arrested the eighth accused in Periya double murder, Pakkam native Subeesh, from Mangaluru Airport.
The investigation team had taken steps to arrest Subeesh, who is considered to be directly involved in the act after he escaped to Sharjah two days after the murders were committed. The Crime Branch sought the Interpol's help when their efforts to bring the accused back were to no avail. Subeesh was consequently, arrested at 2 am on Thursday. He will be produced before the Hosdurg first class magistrate.
On February 17, a gang led by CPM former branch secretary Peethambaran had hacked to death Youth Congress activists from Kallyott, Kripesh and Sarathlal, while they were returning home from a local function.
The Crime Branch on Tuesday arrested Uduma CPM area secretary and district committee member K Manikandan and Periya local secretary N Balakrishnan for tampering with material evidence and helping the accused to stay away from law enforcement agencies. Manikandan and Balakrishnan were later released on bail.
Family members of the slain youths and Congress had demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).The home department had handed over the case to state crime branch. The victims’ relatives allege that the crime branch was sabotaging investigation with the help of CPM’s leaders. Now that the party’s involvement is evident, it is conspiring to stop CBI investigation. CPM is trying to create an impression of progress in case and mislead High Court, they allege. People will not believe the party was not involved, said Kripesh’s father.
CPM is on the back foot after its area secretary was implicated in the case. The district leadership is trying to portray his arrest as proof of effective investigation.
Sharathlal's father Sathyanarayanan and Kripesh's father Krishnan had filed a plea before the High Court demanding CBI investigation into the case. Crime Branch DySP PM Pradeep submitted a counter petition to dismiss the plea and the court is scheduled to consider the counter petition on May 24. Congress leaders alleged that the fresh arrests are meant to show before the court that the Kerala police is doing its job well and avoid the CBI investigation.The UDF is all set to use the new developments to attack CPM’s political violence.
