Thiruvananthapuram: The state government spent Rs 34 lakh in legal expenses to avoid a CBI investigation into the murder of Youth Congress worker Shuhaib by CPM workers in Kannur. This is the highest amount this government has spent as legal fees in a court case.

Shuhaib's father C P Muhammed had filed a petition in the high court seeking a CBI probe into the murder. To oppose this, the government fielded leading lawyers from outside the state like Vijay Hansaria and Amarendra Sharan.

While Vijay Hansaria was paid Rs 12.2 lakh, the Rs 22 lakh approved for Amarendra Sharan is yet to be handed over.

In his query in the Assembly, Congress MLA Sunny Joseph sought to know the case in which the government has spent the highest amount in legal fees. In his written reply, law minister A K Balan did not mention the name of Shuhaib in the reply; it just had the case number.

Following this, the opposition has alleged that the government that was supposed to stand with the litigant is siding with the accused and looting the taxpayers’ money.