Despite mounting criticism over the handling of the T.P. Chandrasekharan murder case, Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan has claimed that the State government has done everything that was possible on its part.
Terming the criticisms “unreasonable,” Mr. Radhakrishnan insisted that the handling of the case and the investigation could not be analysed when the trial was under way. No one could claim that the prosecution had put up a weak case, he said. “I will never criticise the handling of the case by the prosecution represented by special prosecutors C.K. Sreedharan and P. Kumarankutty. Moreover, the decision to appoint two public prosecutors, in place of the usual practice of appointing one, for conducting the murder case was made in order to present a strong case,” he said at a press conference held here on Thursday.
He added that witnesses in a case could not be produced on the basis of political factors, but only with a view to strengthen the evidence. He also expressed his confidence that the probe in the case had progressed in the right direction and added that the sincerity of the investigation officers who had risked their lives for the progress of the case could not be questioned.
Reacting to the criticism arising within the Congress, Mr. Radhakrishnan pointed out that that mattered little, but soon added that the party and the United Democratic Front (UDF) had provided strong backing during the course of the probe. He also said that the criticisms by Union Minister of State for Home Mullappally Ramachandran, who had conveyed his differences over the handling of the case at various instances, were always taken in a constructive manner.
He said a decision on whether to appealwould be taken only after obtaining legal advice.
