The Chief Judicial Magistrate court here on Tuesday returned the CBI’s supplementary chargesheet in the case pertaining to the death of Sampath, the accused in the murder of Puthur Sheela, terming the document “incomplete and unsatisfactory.”
The chargesheet had excluded the role of two IPS officers, Additional Director General of Police Muhammad Yasin, then Thrissur Range Inspector General; and Deputy Inspector General Vijay Sakhare, then Palakkad Superintendent of Police. Sampath’s brother Murukesan had filed a petition against the exclusion.
The post-mortem report on Sampath’s death had noted injuries on his body that looked as if he had been beaten with a cylindrical cane with a rounded edge, similar to an IPS officer’s baton. Chief Judicial Magistrate E.C. Harigovindan said the CBI had not confiscated the baton or probed the matter sufficiently. The fact that Yasin had called IAS officer A. Satheesh, brother of the murdered Puthur Sheela, on the phone eight times the day Sampath died had also not been investigated properly, the court said.
Sampath died on March 29, 2010, allegedly after he was tortured by police officers at a guest house in Palakkad.
Geo Paul, counsel for Murukesan, said the CBI had admitted that records at the police station in Palakkad had been doctored to show that Sampath had been arrested on March 29, while he had actually been detained a day before with two others, Kanakaraj and Manikandan. What is to be established is whether the records were manipulated in connivance with the two high-ranking police officers. “The court noted that the CBI considered the statements of Kanakaraj and Manikandan in all other matters, but refused to believe their statements about the involvement of the two IPS officers,” said Mr. Paul.
The two who were arrested with Sampath had identified Yasin and said he had tortured Sampath using his baton.
The court also made a mention of the fourth progress report filed by former investigating officer ASP Haridath. The report had pointed out the involvement of the IPS officers. Officer Haridath later committed suicide, which is also being investigated.
The CJM court said the CBI did not make “proper investigation as to whether the accused persons in the Puthur Sheela murder case were taken to the river side cottage with the knowledge/consent/permission” of Vijay Sakhare. The court directed the CBI to “further investigate the case, keeping in mind the points discussed” and file a “meaningful final report.”Sheela Jayakrishnan was stabbed to death on March 23, 2010, at her house in Puthur. Sheela’s mother, Karthiyayani Amma, who was injured in the attack, pointed out to the police the three accused.
