Two more prosecution witnesses in the T.P. Chandrasekharan murder case turned hostile during the trial at the Special Additional District and Sessions Court (Marad cases) in Kozhikode on Tuesday.
Special Judge R. Narayana Pisharadi declared them hostile under Section 154 (question by party to his own witness) of the Indian Evidence Act after special prosecutor C.K. Sreedharan requested the court to do so as they denied having given a statement to the police under Section 161 (examination of witnesses by police) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Both of them were ‘mahassar’ witnesses who had signed the reports prepared by the police.
As many as 11 witnesses had turned hostile after the commencement of trial on February 11. Mr. Sreedharan moved a submission seeking to submit a fresh list of witnesses to be examined in future for a speedy trial.
Previously, the court had scheduled to examine six witnesses on Tuesday.
However, two turned hostile, one died, another was bed-ridden, and two others were given up. A list containing the names of 284 witnesses was submitted along with the charge sheet in the court earlier. As many as 75 witnesses had been either examined, given up, or termed hostile.
The two witnesses who turned hostile on Tuesday were Sajith of Puthukudi Kunnummal, Pallur, Mahe; and M. Chandran, Eruvatti Parambil Chalil of Koothuparmaba. Sajith was to testify that he had seen M. Sanish, the 41st accused, showing the house of V. Babu, the 71st witness, where Kodi Suni, third accused and others, stayed at night after killing Chandrasekharan.
He said the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), Vadakara, and forensic experts had carried out a check at the house.
However, the police made him sign the report prepared by them without reading out the contents to him. The reports were prepared on May 19 and 22, 2012 and he had no knowledge of its content, Sajith said. Sajith also failed to identify the accused in the court.
Chandran, who was a lottery agent in front of the Koothuparmba area committee office of the CPI(M) said he had no idea what happened on May 19, 2012.
