CPM should pay back Rs 1 cr spent to stop CBI probe into Periya murders: Congress

Kochi: Congress leader V D Satheesan on Saturday said that the ruling CPM should pay back to the state exchequer the money the state government spent to prevent the CBI from investigating the Periya double murder case. Satheesan, the leader of the opposition in the Kerala assembly, was responding to the CBI special court's verdict, which convicted 14 CPM supporters, including district leaders, in the murder of Youth Congress workers Kripesh (21) and Sarathlal P K (24).

Those convicted on Saturday include former Udma MLA K V Kunhiraman, a CPM's District Secretariat member and K Manikandan, the president of Kanhangad Block panchayat and CPM's Kasaragod District Committee member.

Terming the verdict a relief, Satheesan said the CPM and the state government commissioned the murders, and CM Pinarayi Vijayan tried to save the culprits. "Even the tax money collected from the public was used for it," Satheesan said, reiterating the Congress' allegation during the trial period.

"The CPM carried out a criminal conspiracy to commit the murders. It was the CPM that picked the targets and decided how to kill them. The CPM only kept the culprits and their weapons in hiding. The CPM misused the police to save the culprits. Around Rs 1 crore was spent from tax money with the knowledge of the CM to prevent CBI from investigating the crime. Kerala would hang its head in shame in the thought that a party which murdered two youths cruelly and tried to destroy evidence and hide the culprits," Satheesan said.

He also slammed the CPM's decision to appeal against the conviction of the accused, including former MLA Kunhiraman. "With the decision to go in appeal, it is evident that who is protecting the culprits," he said.

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K Sudhakaran said that Congress would provide legal aid to the families of the victims to continue the legal fight to get all the accused convicted. Sudhakaran said the verdict had underscored the CPM's role in the crime. He said the conspiracy behind the murders does not end with Kunhiraman. "The murders were committed with the knowledge and permission of leaders above and below Kunhiraman. The court will be convinced about it in the legal battle to continue," he said.

Venugopal said the verdict has yet again exposed the CPM's ugly murderer's face before society.