The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : ‘Records on murder bid case unavailable’

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‘Records on murder bid case unavailable’

Staff Reporter

Prosecutor writes to police

Thiruvananthapuram: Additional Public Prosecutor N.D. Priyan has written to the police stating that he could not examine an important witness in an attempted murder case because key medical records relating to the crime were not available in the court records and case file.

The case, which is being tried by Sub Judge K. K. Sujatha, related to the attack on one Sivaprasad near Karickakam in May 2004. The main accused in the case are Om Prakash and Kannanmoola Rajesh. Both are currently in preventive detention under the provisions of the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act.

The Special Investigation Team inquiring into the Paul Muthoot George murder case had arraigned them as accused on the charge of destroying evidence.

The public prosecutor said in his letter that he could not examine the doctor who treated Mr. Sivaprasad because the wound certificate and other medical documents issued by the doctor were not present in court records or the case file. He also said that the court had repeatedly summoned the investigating officer in the case, the then Circle Inspector-Pettah Muhammad Iqbal. The summons could not be served because the officer was reported to be on medical leave.

The prosecution case is that the accused severed the hand of Sivaprasad with whom they allegedly had some scores to settle. The other accused in the case are Rajesh’s associates, Dini Babu and Santosh alias Chanthu.

Sivaprasad’s father Mohana Chandran, Vinod, Aji Bright, Balu and Raju were named as prosecution witnesses in the case. The prosecution later sought the permission of the court to declare them as “hostile.” The police found that the witnesses’ statements in court contradicted their original statements to the investigating officer. The prosecution now wants to cross examine them in court. The court has also issued warrants for one Sameer and Santosh Kumar, who were listed as prosecution witnesses.

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