The prosecution in the T.P. Chandrasekharan murder case on Friday suffered a setback as the trial court dismissed its plea seeking re-examination of K.K. Pavithran, secretary of the Panur area committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)].
R. Narayana Pisharadi, special judge, Special Additional District and Sessions Court (Marad Cases), Eranhipalan, however, allowed the prosecution to examine four other witnesses who were earlier exempted from testifying before the court.
The case pertains to a killer gang allegedly hired by a section of leaders of the CPI (M) hacking to death the Revolutionary Marxist Party leader at Onchiyam on May 4, 2012.
Pavithran was one of the 49 prosecution witnesses who had turned hostile during his deposition on April 17. He had to testify that P.K. Kunhanandan, member of the Panur area committee of the CPI (M) and 13th accused in the case, had come to his residence on June 23, 2012. It was on this day he had surrendered before the Vadakara Judicial First Class Magistrate Court here.
He had not only retracted the statement in court but also stated that he did not know that Kunhanandan had been evading police arrest. Kunhanandan remained elusive for more than a month after the police issued a lookout circular.
He was forced to surrender after the Thalassery Principal Sessions Court dismissed his anticipatory plea.
The prosecution wanted to re-examine him in connection with the power of attorney prepared for handing over to him the Mahindra Bolero in which Kunhanandan allegedly escaped to Karnataka. The vehicle is owned by the CPI (M) Kannur district committee.
The court will examine Anshith Narayanan on June 11, K.K. Subin on June 12, and V. Shinoj Thattiyott and Sajeendran Meethil on June 13.
