The CBI’s fast unfolding inquiry into the murder of Congress trade unionist Nediyara Ramabhadran on Wednesday appeared to close in on the leadership of the CPI(M) in Kollam district.
The agency told a magistrate court here that it was investigating S. Jayamohan, recently appointed Chairperson of the KSCDC, on the suspicion of conspiring to murder the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) leader.
The CBI also revealed that it had questioned Mr. Jayamohan, a local apparatchik of the CPI(M), for over four hours at its office here.
Subsequently, the agency made a formal recording of his arrest and let him off on bail. Ramachandran’s murder had caused a public outcry in the State. The trade unionist was hacked to death while having dinner with his family at his house on the night of April 10, 2010. His wife and daughter were witnesses to the crime.
The CBI suspected that Ramachandran was killed to avenge the near fatal attack on Girish, a CPI(M) worker, at Anchal the same year.
Bindu, Ramachandran’s wife, had sought a CBI inquiry after she felt the State police had failed to indict the conspirators.
Other arrests
The CBI’s high profile arrest of Maxon, CPI(M) Kollam district committee member who is on the personal staff of J. Mercykutty Amma, Fisheries and Cashew Industry Minister, on the imputation of murder has, on the face of it, put the party and the government on the defensive.
The Minister told television channels that she perceived a Congress-BJP plot behind the arrests. Mr. Jayamohan also echoed similar sentiments.
The CBI produced Maxon, Babu Panicker, and Riyaz, both CPI(M) workers, on the charge of murder in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate here.
The court remanded them in judicial custody for 14 days.
The agency also detained another CPI(M) worker, identified as Roy Kutty, from Kollam for questioning in connection with the case. More arrests were reportedly impending.
